


Anytime, anyplace

by Yodawgiherd



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Angst, BDSM, Bondage, Boot Worship, Break Up, Cunnilingus, Discipline, Dominant Eren Yeager, Dominant Mikasa Ackerman, Drama, Eremika - Freeform, F/M, Femdom, Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Light Dom/sub, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Pegging, Pet Play, Rope Bondage, S&M, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-26 15:31:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 68
Words: 216,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13860687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yodawgiherd/pseuds/Yodawgiherd
Summary: Fresh out of college, Eren is a young doctor, whose main challenge is to top his girlfriend Mikasa at least as good as she does it to him. On the other hand, Armin has the feeling that his life will be turned around, and he has no idea why. Story that starts with a conversation between two friends in a coffee shop and ends..... Well, who am I to say?





	1. Breaking the ice

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again!  
> I have finally started writing again, i certainly took my time.  
> The nudge to finally get on with it was given to me by SNK+Fan and his request for a more AruAni focused fic, which i have spectacularly failed (forgive me). I just started writing and the ideas kind of got out of my hands. Because i liked the things i came up with, I decided not to start over, but instead just change the flow a bit, so the promised AruAni will come, don't worry, just not yet.  
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

“Armin. Armin? ARMIN! “

The blonde’s head jerked up, eyes focusing on the person sitting on the other side of the table. His best friend’s expression seemed amused, mainly because Armin was not the type to randomly space out in the middle of a conversation. 

“Shit, I’m sorry Eren, I lost track of… well… the thing you were talking about. “

The brown-haired boy groaned, stretching back in his chair. 

“C’mon man, we are discussing my future here, possibly the most important event of my life, and you just flat out ignore me! “

Armin felt a bit guilty, but he couldn’t shake it. Ever since this morning, he had this funny feeling, like something huge was about to happen. Something that will change his life, possibly forever. Yet he had no idea what that could mean. As an aspiring writer, he could get a call from some big-ass publishing house, but his phone remained silent. There was no way he was making a breach in the novel he was working on, because the block that hit him square in the face was persisting, unwilling to move. After staring at the computer screen the whole morning, he gave up and joined Eren for lunch, and now the coffee they were both drinking. The feeling, however, didn’t go away, and continued looming over him, like some ominous shadow. Maybe the important thing was whatever Eren was talking about, but he couldn’t remember what that was. 

“Can you just fill me in Eren, I’m really sorry, but I have no idea what we were discussing. “

“Ill give you a free pass this time, but only because it was your idea that worked so well. “

Now this got Armin interested. What did he suggest? The only thing Eren asked him about lately was… He almost jumped from his chair, his eyes widening.

“You didn’t! “

“I sure as hell did! “, Eren was openly grinning now.

“You asked Mikasa to marry you? What did she say? Or no, don’t tell me, you have to share the whole story! “

He was practically bouncing on his chair from the excitement. Eren leaned a bit closer and started.

“So, as we discussed, I started the night the normal way, we went to see a movie, made a stop at burger king…“

“You took her to a burger king? “, Armin almost shouted those words, “I told you to go somewhere fancier! You were supposed to propose to her! And its not like you are tight on cash either. “

That was true, Eren never had problem with money in his life. His father, Grisha Yeager, used to be a world-renowned surgeon, travelling the whole world to attend the hardest operations. He died in a plane crash when Eren was twelve years old, leaving behind a massive fortune and grieving widow, Carla. Eren’s mother was the kind of person Armin admired from the bottom of his heart. Even with her husband dead, she didn’t crumble, instead deciding to make the most out of his memory. She started a charity in Grisha’s name, sponsoring doctors all over the world. This must have also influenced young Eren, because ever since the funeral he was decided to become a great healer, just like his father. Today, while still young, his skill and expertise were already being valued in the field. It also reflected on his paychecks, as the wealthier patients were more than willing to pay extra to be treated by the young prodigy. So no, cash was not the reason why he took her to a burger king. Again. Eren at least had the dignity to look ashamed, running his hand through his hair.

“Look, I wanted to take her somewhere nicer, but she didn’t really look like she would want to go. Even in the cinema she couldn’t stop talking about burgers, and who am I to deny her? “

Armin shook his head, chuckling. If there was one thing Eren couldn’t do, it was saying no to his girlfriend. He was only lucky that Mikasa was very self-sufficient creature, and her needs and wants were rather scarce. 

“All right, if she was satisfied, who am I to judge? So, how did it continue? “

Eren blushed a bit, leaning even closer as he continued his story of last night.

“So, we came home, and she seemed really, well... How do I put this. “

“Horny? “, offered Armin with a tiny smile.

“Yea, you could say that. She jumped me as soon as I closed the door, and I was really tempted to just go with it, to forget what I had planned and just enjoy the night. But… “

He looked up to Armin, his cheeks slightly red.

“But I remembered what you told me. “

“Oh? Which part? The one when I called the plan of yours stupid? Or the one when I said that you two should talk about it rather than you just dumping it on her all of a sudden? “

“No, not those parts. The part when you said that if I really want it, I have to stand my ground and do it, because I get easily distracted and might just end up not proposing at all. “

“What did you do? “

Armin knew that talking this openly with anyone else about stuff you did with your girlfriend behind closed doors was something that most people would be uncomfortable with, but he and Eren knew each other since childhood. They were basically inseparable. They talked together about everything, and that included girls and thing connected with that. Neither of them was any kind of expert, while Eren might have been rich and good looking, ever since his father died he focused completely on his studies, burying any sort of social life behind a wall of books. And Armin was… Armin. He was silent and shy, not looking for anyone else outside of his only friend. He dated a few girls, mostly in college, because they found him adorable, with his long blonde hair and bright eyes, but none of those relationships lasted. It was just two of them, together against the world, until Mikasa appeared in their lives. 

Armin still remembered the first time they saw her. It was in college, in the first year, on one of the freshmen parties. They attended just out of curiosity, not really looking to make any new friends. They had a dorm room together, and while both of them attended different classes, with Eren being focused on medicine and Armin on literature, they still planned to keep their two-man show going. But then she walked in the room. Armin could tell that she was different on the first glance, she wore baggy, comfortable clothes, unlike most of the girls present who were doing their best to show off their qualities. She also looked lost, out of place, clutching the plastic cup like a lifeline. Armin turned to his buddy to comment on that when he saw what kind of face Eren was making. His jaw was literally dropped, eyes bulging, and Armin could swear that he was drooling a bit. 

“Ehm, Eren? You ok? “

“She’s perfect. “

“Who? “

“The girl who just walked in, can’t you see her? “, Eren turned to him, the intensity in his eyes a bit unsettling for Armin. Was he going mad? Taking another glance at the girl, he could say that she was pretty. Short black hair, pale skin and slanted eyes, indicating Asian heritage. Ok, maybe she was a bit more than pretty. But Eren’s reaction was still over the top. 

“Go talk to her then. “, Armin suggested, hoping that his friend might actually pick up someone for the first time.

“What? Me? You are crazy! “, Eren immediately went on defense, shaking his head. “Why would she want to talk to me? “

Armin groaned internally. He just saw someone who made his heart stop, but he was too cowardly to go talk to her. Well, time for the superhero, Wingman, to save the day.

“If you won’t talk to her, then I will. “, he said, leaving very confused Eren in the dust and walking over the where the girl was standing. 

He was by no means Casanova, but he was desperate when it came to his friend. Multiple times he was approached by girls wanting to talk to Eren, and he tried, he did his best to set up a date, but in the end, he never showed up. He had too much work, he had to study, he had no time. They were excuses, and Armin knew it. Not having a single relationship in high school, when you were someone like Eren, was simply weird. He didn’t care, of course, his mind was set on getting into med college and he succeeded in that goal. Armin suffered for him. He will make this work, even if he has to drag Eren to the date himself. Approaching the girl, he could see that she was nervous as hell. She noticed him coming, and smiled, surprised that someone even came to talk to her. 

“Hey, I’m Armin. I can see that you are a freshmen, like us. “, he gestured towards Eren, who did his best to try and disappear in the cup he was holding. 

“Hi, I’m Mikasa, its nice to meet you. “, she extended a hand, and when Armin shook it, he suddenly knew something. She had one hell of a grip. Withdrawing his palm and trying not to look too pained, he leaned a bit closer. Mikasa’s eyes immediately went wide and she took a step back, clearly misinterpreting his intent. He held out his hands, as a peace offering. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. “

Her posture relaxed, and she rubbed her forehead, ashamed.

“No, I’m sorry. I just, don’t work well around other people. “

Ah, so she was a loner. Well, he knew someone that might have the same problem!

“Look, my friend there, Eren, he had a mild stroke when he saw you. “

She blushed, and he pressed on.

“Would you do me the favor and go talk to him please. You don’t have to do anything if you don’t like him, and I swear ill buy you a coffee next time I see you. “

Mikasa nodded, biting her bottom lip as she slowly walked to Eren, who seemed to be shrinking with every step she took. Armin felt quite proud of himself, another mission well done, Wingman, its about time you reap some rewards. He left his buddy to fend off for himself and went to mingle with the other people. He didn’t remember much of the party afterwards, drinking way too much in celebration and waking up on the street with a headache. Later he found out that Eren took Mikasa back to his room, but no steamy sex followed, as Armin secretly hoped. They just talked. She told him a lot, stuff that you don’t expect to hear on the first meeting. She was an orphan, both of her parents murdered when she was nine, and her older brother was taking care of her ever since. He was a good man, but managing his gym left him hardly any time to care for his sister. Young Mikasa grew to be independent, learning that only person she was truly rely on, is herself. Surrounded by training machines, and haunted by the traumatic experience of her past, she did the only thing that was reasonable. She started turning her own body into a weapon, so she can never be taken by surprise liker her parents did. Luckily, her older brother took notice of her efforts soon enough and stopped her before the girl could seriously harm herself. Seeing her determination, he did the only thing he could. He became her personal trainer, guiding her through the basic stuff. As soon as she was old enough, she started trying out different fighting sports, looking for the one that clicked with her the best. Mikasa settled on kickboxing, and she became damn good at it, winning numerous tourneys over the course of her growing up. It shaped her body into a fine-looking thing, but she had no intention of showing herself off. She had no desire or intention to start anything physical with anyone, as the boy in fifth grade found out, when she broke his hand for getting grabby. Truth is, she was partly lonely as well, her training could only eat a given amount of time, before her body gave up, and with her attitude she made no friends in high school. Wanting to change that in college, she attended the first freshmen party right after moving to the dorm. And there she met Eren. 

Armin didn’t know what pulled them together the way it did, but it was magical to watch. He knew that after they talked through the whole night, she gave him a single quick peck on the lips before leaving, and it was the only thing Eren could talk about until he saw her again. Their relationship progressed slowly, with Mikasa still being kind of afraid of intimate physical contact, and both of them being completely clueless. During this time, Eren dogged Armin with unending stream of questions about his budding relationship, terrified that he will fuck something up. They talked about literally everything, starting the way he should kiss her and ending somewhere around what to do if she starts getting more physical. He could, of course, simply use the internet, but with Armin being the more experienced of the two, he felt more comfortable just asking his childhood friend. Armin successfully played the third wheel through the whole college, sometimes doing double dates with his short-term girlfriends, but mostly just by himself. He watched them get more and more attached to each other, the first awkward kisses and hand-holding. It was adorable in a way. They were both grown adults, but their emotional sides were so undeveloped that they acted like kids. It took them half a year before Eren came to the dorm one late morning with a dreamy expression in his eyes. 

“Yo, buddy, what’s up? “, Armin called from his bed, not wanting to get up. He had quite a long night spent on finishing a project he worked on. Eren walked to his bed, sitting on it and eventually lying down, looking at the ceiling.

“It happened, Armin, I have fulfilled my purpose in life. “

That woke him up a bit, was Eren high? He never did drugs in his life before.

“You took something you shouldn’t have, didn’t you? “, Armin groaned before climbing out of the bed, wanting to find some way to help his friend, but Eren didn’t move. Taking a closer look, he finally noticed something. Eren’s neck was covered in bruises, the kind you don’t receive in a fight. Armin slowly settled back on the bed, feeling that perhaps the only kind of help his friend needs at the moment is a serious high-five.

“Eren, you want to tell me something? “

“She is amazing Armin, everything she does Is just… perfect. I never felt this good in my entire life. “

Later, when he recovered enough, he told him all the spicy details. Sure, they acted like gossiping teenagers, but neither of them cared. Their relationship changed quite a bit after that night. With both Mikasa and Eren finding out that they enjoyed their first experience, they started practicing vigorously. It ended up with Eren moving out of the dorm to a rented apartment with her, and Armin was partly happy that his nights won’t be interrupted by moans and creaking bed in the other room anymore. The college graduation came afterwards, but the group remained close. Eren started working at local hospital, very quickly being recognized for his talents. Armin got to writing, his lifelong dream, and took shifts in the very coffee shop they were sitting in right now, to cover his rent. Mikasa pursued her fighting career professionally, continuing her string of undefeated performances. As Armin found out about a year back, she and Eren started spicing things up in the bedroom. It started innocently, with some drunk picture searches online, but it evolved into an actual plan in the end. Eren ended up being the bottom in the game, tied up and controlled by his girlfriend. He enjoyed it, as he said himself, and they occasionally picked up the ropes again if both of them felt like it. But this innocent playtime spawned a burning question in Eren’s head. When they played, she never let him take the control, always being the one on top. And that bugged him a bit. It was stupid, just a tiny detail that kept coming back even when he tried chasing it away. He loved Mikasa, he was sure of it, but this last small bump kept him from pulling out the ring, as he planned a few weeks back. That’s when he hatched the dumbest plan ever, as Armin called it, and asked his help to work it out to perfection. Execution of said plan was just the thing he was describing to very interested, against his better judgement, blond back in the coffee shop. 

“So, I told her to stop, which surprised her, because I never said that to her before. I sat her down on the bed, and pulled out the ropes from the drawer, asking her if she wants to play. “

Eren took a dramatic sip of his coffee.

“She looked enthusiastic, but then I told her that I want to be the one in charge this time. “, he scratched the back of his head, “I know it sound stupid, but I just wanted to know if she would let me do it you know. If she would trust me enough. “

Armin understood. Mikasa was always the one leading, the one in control. She was strong in both body and spirit, and never took any shit from anyone. The idea of her submitting to someone didn’t sit well with her character. He just hoped that their whole relationship didn’t crash and burn on something this stupid. But Eren was clearly excited, so he took it as a good sign.

“And then what happened? “, he nudged his friend to continue.

“She stared at me for some time, chewing her bottom lip, clearly not sure. I got scared a bit honestly, I had no intention of forcing her to do something she was uncomfortable with. But before I could say anything, she said that ok, she’s willing to try it. “

Armin felt a stone fall from his heart. So, his best friends didn’t fuck up their relationship over such triviality. 

“I’m glad you were able to work it out. Oh, but that reminds me, what about the proposal? “

Eren blushed a bit more, almost whispering the next words. He was not the kind of person to boast about his sexual experiences in a public place.

“Well, I tied her up, and we just went with what felt right. I must tell you though, it was something else, seeing that perfect body of hers straining against the bindings, I just… “, he trailed off, looking ashamed and sitting back down.

“I can’t talk about it here Armin, I just pitched a tent. “

The blond started laughing. Not just because of the absurdity of the situation, but also because of the happiness that Eren was finally smart enough not to let something as amazing as Mikasa walk out of his life.

“Just cut to the end Eren, we can pick it up later. “

“Well, when we were both properly exhausted, and we just lay on the bed, holding each other, I kind of just blurted it out. I didn’t even have the ring with me there, it was in the pocket of my jacket downstairs. “, he smiled, “And she said yes. “

Without further wait, the high-five they shared was loud enough for other customers in the shop to turn their heads and mumble something about disrespectful youths, before returning to their beverages. Armin shook his palm to get out the sting, he knew Eren was acting as a training and sparring partner for Mikasa, and it felt like it was paying off for him. The young doctor quickly checked his watch, standing up. 

“It’s almost time, we have to go. “

“Time for what? “, Armin frowned.

“Oh, “, Eren slapped his forehead, “I forgot to tell you. Mikasa has a match tonight, with some new girl from Germany. She is undefeated, like Mika, so it should be interesting. “

He paid the bills for both, ignoring Armin’s feeble protests and together they walked to the gym which was supposed to host the fight. It was just a friendly bout, no tournament, but knowing Mikasa everyone knew that she will do her best. She never did things half-assed. When they entered, they were quickly ushered to the front seats by security, as the hall was packed, people in back craning their necks to see. However friendly this fight was supposed to be, it drew attention. Two undefeated fighters clashing for the first time, that was bound to be a spectacle. The wait wasn’t long, before the voice from the loudspeakers announced the beginning of the match. Mikasa walked to the ring, trailed by her brother and trainer, Levi, waving to Eren, who sent her a kiss. The other girl also came, followed by an old man walking with a stick, but smiling on everyone present. 

“That must be her father. “, said Eren, “I heard that he trains her himself, and that he is really good, even with the injured leg. “

Armin wanted to say something, but in that moment the girl threw back her robe to prepare for the fight, and his jaw simply stopped working. He was pretty sure that he was making exactly the same face Eren did years back upon first seeing Mikasa, but he couldn’t help himself. The feeling he had since morning, that something important will happen, just hit him in the face, he had an overwhelming tingling that he already saw her somewhere. The blonde hair, so similar to his own, the cold ice blue eyes, the sharp nose. It felt like waking from a dream and seeing it become reality in front of you.

“Armin. Armin? ARMIN! “

“What?? “, he woke from his trance, absently wiping the drool from his chin.

“You look like you know the girl. “

“I don’t, I just have the feeling that we have met before. “

“Well you seem to really like her, judging from the look you just gave her. “

“I don’t know, I never spoke to her! “, Armin felt his stomach tightening, “I just. I really want to get to know her. “

“Well, you have to wait for after the match, Romeo. “, Eren teased him, chuckling.

Armin hit him in the arm for it, but he didn’t really care. He had to get to know the girl, he felt a magnetic pull towards her, something he never experienced in his entire life. The announcer spoke again, apparently starting the match, because the contestants jumped each other. The fight was brutal, way more than anything Armin saw up to this point, punches and kicks flying both sides in a blink of an eye. Multiple times the referee had to step in, separating them. In the end, the fight had to be called a draw, because neither of the sides stayed down. The point counting was also useless, because they both scored the same amount. The crowd still cheered when the referee announced the end of the match, because it was everything they came to see. Eren didn’t cheer, he had a worried expression on his face and as soon as the fight was over stood up and left for Mikasa’s changing room. Armin followed, stealing glances on the blonde girl as she limped towards her own locker, supported by her father. 

“The bitch! “, Armin entered the room to see the raven-haired fighter sitting on the bench, with her lover, fiancé actually, fussing over her with his skilled doctor’s fingers. 

“Come now, you can’t hate her for putting up a fight, you thrashed her pretty good yourself. “, Eren was completely in his element now, examining her for any sort of real damage. When he lifted her shirt to feel her upper ribs, Armin could see some bruises that looked suspiciously like rope marks. Blushing and looking away, he felt like trespassing, this was an intimate moment he shouldn’t be in. 

“I just don’t like losing Eren, you know that. “, Mikasa was pouting now, looking like an annoying little girl in a body of a warrior.

“You didn’t lose, it was a draw. “, he kissed her on the lips, before taking a step back. “You have no broken bones or lasting damage, but there are some nasty bruises and pulled muscles, so some time in bed will do you good. “

“In bed you say. “, her lips curved into a sly smile, “Can I have some company there? “

“Mikasa, please stop trying to seduce your physician. “, Eren groaned, helping her stand. 

“I need to get changed. You mind Armin? “, said Mikasa.

“Oh, ill be right out. We can grab something to eat when you are done. “

“That sounds lovely. “

Armin backed out of the room, leaving the two alone. Just as he closed the door, he saw the blonde girl passing him, the limp still evident in her walk. It felt like one of the books, the golden opportunity missing him in the hallway. But he was not going to let it pass.

“Hey, I saw you fight, you are really good. “

She turned to him, unimpressed icy glaze meeting his own fidgety one. There was a nod from her.

“Thank you. “

“I just wanted to… Maybe you know, we could grab a coffee sometimes? “

He never felt this nervous in his life. Not when submitting a new book, not when facing a difficult exam, not ever. She just stared at him for a time, before wetting her lips and finally replying.

“I’m still new in the city, maybe you could show me around? “

When they exchanged numbers and she left, Armin felt a stupidly large grim spread across his face. 

“Someone is feeling happy. “, he heard the door behind him open, Mikasa coming out tucked in her customary red scarf, the first gift Eren gave her, and a coat, followed by her fiancé. He smiled at them, warmth spreading through his whole being.

“I just think that I have a made a great decision tonight. “

The feeling of something huge looming over him, a shadow over his shoulder, dissapeared, and when he followed his friends out into the night, he felt it being replaced by something entirely different.

Expectation.


	2. Oral exam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick smut i cooked up, because dominating Mikasa is something i feel that our fandom is severely lacking. Its time to change that!
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

Eren grumbles in discomfort, shifting his posture a bit in an attempt to find a more comfortable position. The task is quite impossible however, considering that he is kneeling in his own bedroom, naked, collared and blindfolded with his arms bound behind his back. Normally, he wouldn’t really mind any of this, but for some reason Mikasa has decided to do all those stuff to him and disappear into thin air. Granted, she is most likely just a few feet away, enjoying the show. Not like he could see her blindfolded anyway. The lack of her touch is driving him mad, he could speak, of course, use a safeword, make it stop. But tonight is her turn to lead, and so far, she never let him down. Despite the cold, the soreness of his knees and the lack of vision, the anticipation he feels is tremendous. 

The silence is broken by a breathy chuckle, and he finally hears her rising from the bed, the place where she spent the past minutes, watching her prey. 

“You are acting like such a good boy tonight Eren, not a word of protest. “, she purrs, the tone of her voice sending tremors down his spine. 

“I aim to please. “, he says with a smile, turning his head towards the place where he thinks she is standing. 

The following slap is quick, her hand connecting with his cheek with a smack.

“I aim to please, mistress. “, he quickly corrects himself.

“Good boy. “, she repeats, stepping closer.

Lifting her leg, she nudges his quickly awakening member, earning a groan from him. He has to hold himself back when she starts massaging his hardness with her foot. After all this time with no friction at all, his body wants to just hump her leg like an animal. 

“Do you want your treat, boy? “, she asks, not stopping in her movement. 

“Please, mistress. “, he pants, his jaw clenching.

She stops, and he groans in frustration as her foot disappears. Instead, he feels her hand grab the metal ring in his collar as she yanks his head upwards. Her face is so close to his, that when she speaks, he can feel her lips brushing his own. 

“Aren’t you forgetting something boy? First, you must make sure that your owner is happy, don’t you? “

He swallows and nods, feeling her lips curl into a smile. She pulls him closer, kissing him aggressively. He surrenders, letting her tongue probe his mouth at her leisure, feeling pleasurable waves course through his body. If only his cock wasn’t so achingly hard. She pulls back, letting go of the collar and taking the blindfold off simultaneously. Eren blinks, adjusting his vision, while she makes her way back to the bed, sitting down. Finally able to see her again, he drinks in the beauty in front of him, his lust hitting levels he thought impossible. 

She opted to be naked tonight, not picking any of her outfits, not even underwear. Then again, she could wear literally anything, or nothing in this case, and she would still be the most beautiful woman he has ever laid his eyes on. Mikasa gives him no time to stare, beckoning him closer with a single finger. He eagerly shuffles forward on his knees, wanting nothing more than to please her, but when he dips his head, wanting to start working her towards her pleasure, she catches a fistful of his hair, stopping him. 

“Come on, you know where to start. Don’t you boy? “

“Yes mistress, apologies mistress. “, he mutters, as she lets go of his hair, bowing his head lower until he reaches her feet on the floor. 

He starts his journey there, kissing and dragging his tongue over her toes, slowly working his way upwards until he reaches her inner thigh. Stopping there, he lowers his head and starts all over again, this time working on her other leg. He wouldn’t say he had a foot fetish, well, maybe, but Mikasa’s legs were just damn beautiful. Long, and perfectly shaped from her kickboxing lifestyle, they turned uncountable number of heads anytime she wore anything revealing in public. And he is the only one who got to worship them up close. Reaching the apex of her thighs for the second time, he kisses her core, making her shiver and swing her legs over his shoulders, granting him better access. He looks up, seeing her flushed face framed by raven hair, sees the way she bites her bottom lip as her hand tangles in his hair and pushes him back down. Determined to reduce her to quivering mess as a payback for her teasing, he licks at her folds, making her moan. It’s harder to please her, when his hands are still tied behind his back, but Eren is pretty damn good with his tongue and mouth, so he is up for the challenge. The skill comes from years of experience with her, learning what she likes, and dislikes, carefully observing the way she reacts to each swipe and touch. So he knows that he has to start slow, getting her taste in his mouth, before sucking on her clit, increasing the pressure. Mikasa, shudders and cries out, tossing her head back, making him let go of the bud so he can work his tongue inside her, tracing memorized patterns. Her legs start to shake, the telltale sign that he is doing good, her orgasm building inside her. When her hips start to move on their own, trying to grind on his face and her toes curl against his back, he finishes her off with a sharp sucking on her clit combined with a light touch of his teeth. She collapses on the bed, her climax pulling at her insides as she screams, making no effort to be quiet. He guides her through it, slowing down, but not letting go, because as soon as she is finished, he starts building her up again. For all the teasing on her part, he is far from done. 

Time loses its meaning when Eren is working her, wave after wave emerging from her core, making her vision go white while beads of pleasure roll from the corners of her eyes and her muscles contracts. But everyone has limits, even his indestructible girlfriend, so he stops when they near hers, knowing that if he continued abusing her swollen clit and aching core, it would cause her discomfort. Pulling back, he can’t keep the smug grin off his face when he sees her, sprawled on the bed, spent, sweaty and shivering. He stands up, making his way to the side of the bed and sitting down, bending to kiss her. She murmurs something he doesn’t quite catch, her eyes still closed and her body twitching with aftershocks, so he waits a few minutes, letting her calm down.

“Mikasa, baby? “, he whispers, afraid that she might have fallen asleep on him. 

Her eyes flutter open, wet and so tired, that he almost feels guilty for waking her up. He nudges his head towards the wet spots on the bed, definitive proof how much she enjoyed his actions, before saying.

“We have to get cleaned up and, “, he grimaces, “my hands are still tied. “

She chuckles at that, fighting her sleepiness as she reaches behind him, undoing the knot around his wrists. Eren stands up, removing his collar, waiting for her to go to the bathroom to clean up so he can tidy up the bed. But when Mikasa sits up, throwing her legs over the edge, trying to stand up, she just falls back on her ass, eyes widening.

“Eren, I can’t walk. “, she looks up at him, “My legs just don’t work. “

Laughing, he picks her up and carries her to bathroom, letting her grumble into his chest. She’s half asleep while he washes her, enjoying the touch of her smooth pale skin, the intimate feeling of the bath. Leaving her in the bathroom, he changes the sheets, and returns just to find her sleeping on the floor, covered by one of the bathrobes. Careful not to wake her, he takes her to bed, pulling the comforter over them both as he spoons her, pressing a kiss to her neck before settling on the pillow. Sure, he didn’t get to come even once today, but he wasn’t worried in the slightest. Mikasa will make it up to him, she is very competitive, and he got the better of her today. Reducing her to whimpering mess was so worth it. 

Tomorrow, it’s his turn to dominate. And he already has several ideas.


	3. Oral exam, second attempt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to take a moment and thank everyone who commented on the last chapter, you guys keep me going. You have asked for the continuation, and i shall deliver.  
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy

Getting the hook installed in their bedroom was one of Eren’s brightest ideas up to date. It came with questions of course, because normal people usually didn’t feel the need to drill holes in their ceilings. Luckily for them, Mikasa’s lifestyle provided the greatest excuse. Most of the time, the hook was occupied by punching bag, so she can train anytime she wishes to. This evening however, something entirely different was hanging from it. A length of thin chain was pulled through, connecting the cuffs on Mikasa’s wrists. It was pulled tight, stretching her hands over her head as she stood on the floor, waiting for him. 

In his younger years, Eren had quite a temper, rushing through some things he was supposed to take long time to enjoy. Those days were gone. Nowadays, he knew how to take his time doing what he loved. And this was one of those activities. He fully intended to make this last as long as possible, after all, he promised to make her pay for her actions the last time. Slowly, he walked around her, letting his eyes drift across her naked body, drinking in the sight. She was wearing nothing except the leather cuffs around her wrists, the collar and blindfold. He stepped closer, raising a hand and running his fingers up her spine, enjoying the way she shuddered at the touch. Hugging her from behind, he splayed one hand on her stomach, while the other grabbed her chin, angling her head so he could whisper in her ear. 

“Hanging in there? “

“Really? “, her lips twitched as she tried to bite back a smile, “Is this your idea of torture? Tying me up and whispering bad puns to me? “

“You have no idea what I have planned for you. “, he bit her earlobe, making her gasp, “And my puns should be the last of your concerns. “

His hand dipped lower, fingers tracing the outer lips of her sex, while the other travelled to her breast, groping the soft flesh. Her breathing became agitated, as she arched into his touch, enjoying his ministrations. He pushed two fingers inside her, slowly working her up while sucking on her neck, leaving red marks on the pale skin. Mikasa shuddered in her bonds, rocking her hips against his hand, the coil in her stomach slowly winding tighter, as moans escaped her lips. He pushed her closer and closer, making her legs shake as she felt the familiar high approaching. And then he stopped. Withdrawing his hand and placing it back on her stomach, his lips curving into smile against her neck. She whined in frustration, rubbing her thighs in an attempt to lighten the throbbing in her lower regions, but it didn’t help. 

“E-Eren, what are you doing. “, she gasped.

“I told you, “, he said, “that I will make you pay, didn’t I? “

So, this was his idea of revenge. Bringing her close to her peak and not letting her come. She snorted. If he thinks that he will make her beg for it, he was very wrong. 

“This is the worst you can do? “, she said, trying to sound as tough as possible, with heart racing and her womanhood still feeling like it’s on fire. 

He chuckled. 

“I didn’t even start yet. “

With a last kiss on her shoulder his hands disappeared from her, and she could hear him walking to the nightstand and opening one of the drawers, pulling something out. Second later, she felt him press into her from behind again, reaching up to give her tied hands a squeeze. 

“You all right? “

Eren could be rough, but he was always careful, always checking if everything was okay. Someone could be amused by his constant fidgeting, but Mikasa knew that as a surgeon, he saw people being hurt by stupid mistakes every day. And he would make sure she wasn’t one of those. She squeezed him back, nodding, and he let go, satisfied for now. 

“Then let’s get started, shall we? “

Something plastic pressed into her stomach, slowly sinking lower and lower towards the apex of her thighs. She had no idea what he was holding, until she heard a click, and the damned thing started vibrating. Mikasa’s whole body tensed as he pressed the vibrator on her sex, building her up faster than his fingers before. He moved the toy in circular motions, before rubbing it straight on her clit, the sounds leaving her lips increasing in intensity and pitch. The feeling was back, her muscles contracting as her orgasm neared. But once again, just before he pushed her over the edge, he stopped. Mikasa was so frustrated, stomping her foot on the floor as she could almost feel him smiling, knowing that teasing her like this was bringing him great pleasure. Once again, he reached up, squeezing her hand, waiting for her signal to continue. Gritting her teeth, she squeezed back, waiting for the torture to resume. 

When he backed off for the third time, she lost control. Mikasa threw herself against the cuffs, the leather creaking as she pulled on the chain with all her strength, her base instincts taking over. Eren took a step back, afraid that she will rip the hook from the ceiling or snap the chain in half. The ropes of her muscles were clearly visible on her arms and back as she strained herself. Damn, he almost forgot how scary angry Mikasa can be. After a few seconds, she regained her senses, stopping herself with a sigh. Slowly, he came back to her, reached up and squeezed her hand, waiting. Few seconds passed, but then he felt her fingers tighten around his, sending him the signal to continue. 

After some time, she lost count of how many times he edged her, just to leave her unsatisfied, frustrated, and increasingly angry. Worst thing was, she knew that she can stop this anytime. Every time before starting over again, he reached up to squeeze her hand, and waited until she returned the gesture, letting him know that she’s ok. Yes, he was edging her, but he would never hurt her, they both knew that. Yet her mind was hardly in a logical state right now. Covered in haze, all she could think of was that he was the one denying her release, torturing her. She couldn’t take it.

“S-Stop. “

That single word made him back off immediately, stopping the vibrator and letting go of her. He undid the blindfold, letting her blink into the light as her vision adjusted. Eren drifted into view, standing in front of her, dressed in nothing but his briefs, shit-eating grin spread across his face.

“Something wrong baby? “

“I-I don’t like this. “, she whispered, hating how weak her voice sounded. 

“Then make it stop. “, he shrugged. “You know the safeword, don’t you? Use it, and ill let you out of the cuffs in an instant. “

She almost did it. The word almost rolled over her lips, stopping him right here and there. But she made herself stop. No. She won’t let him win this easily. For better or worse, both of them were very competitive people. He got the best of her yesterday, even when he was supposed to be the bottom, she was the one who ended up passing out from the pleasure he gave her. Today is her day to win. Biting her bottom lip, she shook her head, much to his amusement.

“No? “

She shook her head again, determined.

“Well then, “, he turned the toy back on “should I continue? “

Her eyes almost watered when she saw it. Maybe she wasn’t as strong as she wanted to be. She won’t let him win, but some negotiations were certainly in order.

“Sir, I’ve learned my lesson, please don’t punish me anymore. “, she pleaded, trying to look as submissive as possible.

Eren gritted his teeth, doing his best to keep his lust in control. It was trying for him too. Seeing her naked, sweaty and exhausted, her body contracting beneath his hands every time he denied her. Calling it arousing would be an understatement. He cleared his throat, nodding slowly. 

“Perhaps you have learned your lesson, princess, but I don’t think I can let you off the hook so easily. “

He walked back to the drawers, pulling out something different as he came back into her field of view. He was holding a riding crop in his hands, bending the thin plastic and letting it snap into place with a dark look in his eyes. 

“I think a few lashes will do, do you agree? “

She nodded. Anything would be better than that devilish vibrating instrument. Nodding back, he circled her, disappearing from her sights. She could feel the leather top of the crop pressing against her ass, circling on her left cheek. 

“I want you to count the hits. Start at zero, and we will work our way up to ten. Do you understand? “

“Yes sir. “

She felt his hands on her chin, angling her face until he could kiss her. His tongue darted into her mouth, dragging alongside hers. After few seconds he stopped, letting go of her face and offering her a tiny smile.

“Good girl. “

The first hit came unexpected, sending a flare of pain on her backside. He didn’t hit her too strongly, but he wasn’t going easy on her either. She gasped, before remembering her duty.

“One. “, she said, voice shaking.

By the time they worked their way to ten, they both had just about enough. Her ass hurt, but every hit also sent tremors to the front, over her still unsatisfied sex, the throbbing coming back stronger than ever. Turned on was such a weak word to describe the state of her. She was craving the release, her mind void except for the single task of reaching her peak. Eren was also on edge, his breathing ragged. This was too much. When she said the last number, he dropped the crop, reaching up and undoing the clasp that held the chain in place. Pulling, he guided them to the bed, where he swiftly laid her down on her stomach and secured the chain to the headboard. Mikasa was kneeling on the mattress now, holding herself up on her knees and elbows, reddened ass raised into the air, her whole body shaking. He almost lost it at the sight, but somehow, he kept himself in check, raising a hand and running it over her whipped cheeks. 

“How do you feel princess? “

How can he still be talking? She strongly underestimated Eren’s will. He was still capable of holding himself back, not giving in to his basest instincts. But she was far beyond this. Her bottom hurt, but it was nothing compared to the smoldering flame between her legs, consuming any rational thought she might have. She tried rubbing her ass on him, but he pulled back, again, chuckling.

“Do you want something? You have to ask, princess. “

Mikasa turned her head, her eyes the pools of darkness, face red and her short hair ruffled. Normally, she never begged. She liked keeping her composure, acting cool. But the rational side of her was way too far gone now. 

“Eren, please stop talking, and fuck me as hard as you can. I beg you. “

He might have strong will, but there were limits to what he could take. And they just got breached. With a growl, he discarded his briefs and grabbed her hips, slamming himself inside. Her whole body arched, teeth clenching, eyes sliding shut, as she savored the feeling of finally being filled by him. There was nothing like this. Eren wasted no time, his patience completely drained, as he followed her wish and started moving. He rode her hard, not holding back anything, giving each thrust as much strength as he could. Mikasa’s body started failing her, elbows slipping, her face falling to the sheets to muffle her moans. Her legs started shaking again, toes curling, every sign that her orgasm was approaching at an alarming rate. But this time, he didn’t stop. Reaching around, he pressed two fingers to her clit, rubbing circles in sync with his movements, doing his best to make her come as fast as possible. He wouldn’t last long. Luckily for him, she was worked up beyond imagination.

It was one of the loudest screams he ever heard from her, even muffled by the sheets. Her whole body shook, fingers gripping the sheets with enough strength to tear them. Eren did his best to prolong it for her, slowing down his movements, but he didn’t hold on for long. Her insides clamped down on him hard, the tremors inside massaging his whole length, trying to make him topple over the edge with her. And he did. Slamming him hips into hers one last time, he came inside, his own groans filling the room, white light behind his eyes. Spent, he pulled out, falling on his back next to her while her knees gave away, making her fall on the bed completely. 

Neither of them knew how much time passed before their breathing evened, and he slowly opened his eyes, turning his head to look at her. She was still slumped on the bed; the only movement being the slow rise and fall of her shoulders as she breathed. Realizing that she’s still tied, Eren reached out and undid the cuffs, letting her hands fall free on the bed. 

“You ok? “

Instead of answering, she reached out and squeezed his palm, making him smile. Eyes traveling down her body, he noticed the red marks on her hips, caused by his fingers. Sliding his gaze lower, he came to stop at her ass, seeing the red welts. He had to do something about those. But first, a bath was in order. He stood on his shaking legs, tapping on Mikasa’s back to wake her up. She hummed in acknowledgement but made no move to stand. 

“We have to get cleaned up Mika. Come on. “

She looked up, before letting a lazy smile spread on her lips.

“I can’t go anywhere, you will have to carry me. “

He snorted, feigning annoyance as he picked her up, secretly very pleased. As soon as she was in his arms, he felt her hands circle his neck as her teeth bit into his neck, sucking in a mark of her own. Not questioning her sudden show of affection, he walked to the bathroom, filling the tub. Surprisingly, she didn’t fall asleep on him, but her movements were lazy, slow. Her muscles felt exhausted in the good way, like after a great workout, or a training. Cleaned, they reached the bed again, and she fell on her stomach, wanting nothing more than to just allow sleep to claim her. 

Eren had one last thing to do. Reaching to the bedside table, he pulled out a tube of soothing gel, caking his fingers in it and rubbing it on the skin. The only sound Mikasa made was a sigh, the cool sensation very welcome. Now that her most pressing need has been taken care of, the sting of her backside was quite noticeable. The feeling of his hands and the exhaustion combined were simply too much. Completely satisfied, Mikasa drifted off with a smile, making mental notes to exact a terrible revenge upon him once their roles are reversed again. 

Eren couldn’t hold back his grin when he noticed that she was asleep again. Once he was finished with his massage, he pulled the covers over them both, throwing a hand over her waist as he also let the darkness claim him. All and all, he was quite satisfied with his performance tonight. And there were many more nights to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope i haven't let you guys down with the second part, please tell me what you think!


	4. Oral Exam, third attempt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yea, so i wanted to write something entirely different originally, but in the end i failed.  
> So have another shameless smut, because im a dirty human being.  
> Also i have decided to pump the rating up to E, because it doesnt get more graphic than this. 
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated  
> Enjoy!

Mikasa spends the next week researching. She had five days to prepare the best possible performance for Eren, with work week being too busy for them both to play. At least her fear that normal sex won’t be so satisfying for her anymore got banished during the week. Their BDSM adventures were a welcome spice for their relationship, but not a thing either of them wanted to make a foundation of their private lives. The so called vanilla sex was as intense and fulfilling as ever. In her free time, Mikasa browsed certain websites and forums, looking for an inspiration to act as a proper dominatrix for her partner. She found a lot of information, some made her blush furiously, while other made her question the sanity of the involved people. The toys were not a problem, Eren was an impulsive shopper, and he bought a lot of things: about half of them they didn’t even get to use yet. But there was one thing she was missing for the evening. A proper attire. Browsing the internet gave her some ideas about what she could wear, but honestly, she didn’t feel like squeezing into one of those latex outfits. Deciding to go the easier route, she went out to get some lingerie, something lacy enough to get the blood pumping. Mikasa was never one to pay much attention to the things she wore, so spending long minutes in front of mirror, twisting and turning to see her ass from all angles was a new experience. In the end, she decided on a matching black choker, panties, bra and stockings. Walking out of the store, another shop caught her eye. The display had a beautiful pair of high heels, matching her underwear set in color. Making a quick decision, she went in. 

Friday evening was finally here. Mikasa cut her workout early, so she could go home and prepare for Eren to come home, being determined to give him good enough show to match his performance. She washed, shaved and for once actually put on some make up. She was never a big fan of painting herself, but with opportunity such as this, she wanted to look as good as possible. Her efforts left her eyes darker and her lips bright red with fingernails colored to match them. Slipping into her underwear and shoes, and checking herself in the mirror, she couldn’t deny that she looked pretty damn hot. For now, she decided to cover the goods with a simple bathrobe, both to heighten the anticipation and because she would feel rather silly, sitting on the sofa and waiting dressed like this. Walking over to the nightstand where they kept their toys, heels clicking, she started to go through the drawers for some things to use. Collar, leash and blindfold all looked good, and joined the growing pile on the bed. Next to the riding crop she picked up was a curious black object. Like a small dildo, connected to several thin leather straps. It took her a few seconds before she realized what it was, deep blush running through her cheeks. So Eren was willing to try out a strap-on, that was good to know. But right now, she didn’t want to deal with such a complication, and let it fall back into the drawer. Maybe next time.

Collecting the collar and leash, she went down to the living room, waiting for her victim to arrive. Not long after, the door clicked, and Eren appeared in the doorway, shrugging off his coat. He smiled when he saw her, walking over, but he stopped dead when he noticed her makeup and shoes, peeking from under the robe. Taking a deep breath and standing up, she pulled on the belt, letting the cloth part and fall from her shoulders. Mikasa saw Eren surprised on number of occasions, but the expression that appeared on his face was quite new. Eyes bulging, his face reddened as his mouth opened and closed a few times, no sound emerging. Well, seems like all the work she put into herself was yielding some profit already. She walked over to him, slowly, making sure to wiggle her hips enough for him to notice. Now that she was wearing such high heels, their eyes were on the same level, and she found out she quite liked that. Mikasa raised a hand, running a single finger over his jawline, while his breath came out ragged. Fully committing herself to the role, she let a wicked smile spread her lips. 

“Hello handsome, want to play? “

He swallowed, his Adam apple bobbing, before nodding eagerly. But Mikasa was not satisfied.

“You have to say it, otherwise we can have no fun. So I’ll ask again, do you want to play? “

There was no hesitation in his answer.

“Yes mistress. “

“But you have too many clothes for my kind of games. “, she said, letting her eyes roam over him. “So why don’t you strip for me, pet. “

She took a step back, while Eren’s finger quickly started undoing any buttons and zippers on his outfit, ridding himself of everything. He made a brief pause when he was in his underwear, his eyes flicking up to hers for approval. When she nodded, he pulled the last piece, letting it join the pile on the floor. He stood straight, unashamed, his excitement clearly visible between his legs, waiting for her next move. She came close again, reaching up and locking the collar around his neck, before pulling him in for a searing kiss, a perfect appetizer before the main dish. When they separated, she connected the leash to the leather around his neck, giving it an experimental tug. She took a few steps back, and he followed, until her palm on his chest stopped him in his tracks. 

“Pets don’t walk, do they? “, she pointed on the ground, a spitting image of a dominant. “Crawl. “

He went to his knees almost immediately, looking up with adoring eyes when she ruffled his hair, muttering “Good boy. “under her breath. Resuming their journey to the bedroom, the clicking of her heels was accompanied by the sound of him crawling after her. Reaching their destination, she sat on the edge of the bed, while he kneeled by her feet, waiting for her next order. This scene could be funny, but neither of them laughed, because there was something incredibly arousing about the way he followed her every command, the way she dominated not only his body, but also his mind. Right now, he was her pet, and she felt the burning need to make him submit to her in every possible way. Stretching her legs, she focuses her gaze on her black heels, smiling. 

“What do you think of my new shoes, pet? Do you like them? “

His eyes slowly move over her legs before settling on her feet, a certain hunger setting in him. 

“They are very pretty mistress, they suit you. “

“Yes, they are very nice aren’t they. But I think they lost some of their shine already. You think you can fix that, pet? “, she almost purrs out the words, tingling his spine.

“Yes mistress, right away. “

Eren reaches out, gently sliding his hands over her calf, bending her knee and straightening her leg before bowing and putting his mouth on the material. His tongue sliding over the place where her toes rest on the shoe, he trailed open mouthed kisses along each one, turning her foot to reach everywhere. He shifted a bit on his knees, so he can reach the bottom of the heel, licking over it. An idea appearing in her head, she pulls out of his hands, and he almost whines at the loss. His eyes are wide, glazed over, his breathing is ragged. He is hers, every command that leaves Mikasa’s red lips is an absolute order for him, her body a thing to worship. 

“You mouth, open it. “, she says, and he follows without question. 

Slowly, she slides the thin heel of her shoe inside his mouth, letting his lips close over it.

“Suck. “, is her next order, and once again, he obeys, while she moves her leg forward and back, delicately, making sure she doesn’t hurt him in any way. Satisfied, she tugs her foot free from his mouth, raising the other one. Eren picks up without a need of an order, once again cleaning her shoe with his tongue and lips, covering every inch of it to please his mistress. He isn’t even touching her, but she feels the familiar heat pooling her abdomen, the absolute reverence with which he is kissing and licking her feet is incredibly arousing. 

“Enough. “, is the next word she says, and he lets go, breathing hard. 

Mikasa runs her eyes over her shoes, now spit slick and shiny, before nodding to herself. There is not a spot he left out, he got every inch covered. Reaching out, she pats him on the head.

“Good work, pet. Now take them off. “

Springing into action, he undoes the clasps, sliding the heels off her feet, setting them next to the bed. A single nod is everything Eren needs now, as he once again picks up her leg, and put his mouth to work. Slowly, so slowly, he worships every inch of her, starting at her toes, moving over her ankles and knees, reaching the edge of the stocking in the middle of her thigh. He hooks his fingers behind the elastic material, looking up for approval.

“You can take them off, “, she says, “but use your mouth. “

Nodding, he lets go and grabs the nylon between his teeth, slowly dragging it down, making sure he doesn’t tear it. Once its off, he repeats the process, this time kissing and licking her bare skin, before letting her leg slowly and reluctantly out of his hands and picking up the other one. The heat between her legs is steadily growing, with every nip at her skin, with every swipe of his tongue. Eren must feel it somehow, because once he’s done with her other leg, he starts trailing up kisses up to her core, pausing just before it, once again looking for her approval. Mikasa bites her lower lip and nods, wanting nothing more than to feel his mouth right on her lower lips, where it belongs. Tugging down her panties with his teeth again, he settles before her naked lower half. Expectant, she reaches out and tangles her fingers in his hair, putting her thighs on his shoulders to give him better access. When he finally licks at her slit, she cries out. The slow process of him worshipping her legs aroused her more than she imagined, she was completely soaked at this point. He is so good at this, his tongue gentle but insistent, tracing patterns into her, focusing on all the right places. Her hips start moving on their own, grinding against him, while her fingers start clenching his hair tighter. Feeling her high approaching, he pulls the tiny bundle of nerves into his mouth, sucking, pushing her over the edge. Moans echoes in the room, her hand gripping his hair almost painfully, a groan coming from him. She pulls him off her, not wanting this to end like the last time she was in charge. But when Mikasa catches her breath, and sees him in front of her, kneeling, lips red and swollen, pupils dilated and eyes looking at her with devotion…well, one more time can’t hurt. So, she pulls him closer by the hair again, letting his mouth work its magic on her.

The one last time becomes three more times, but in the end, she is capable of controlling herself, making him stop. Mikasa needs a moment to rest after the feat, his tongue once again able to give her the most mind-blowing orgasms, to control her breathing, to regain her composure. After some time, she cracks her eyes open, focusing her gaze on her pet. Eren didn’t move a muscle, a perfect kneeling statue in front of the bed. Standing up on unsteady legs, she grabs the leash once again, tugging him to follow as she walks to the hook next to the bed. She gestures for him to stand, before removing the leash from his neck and walking over to the bed once more, collecting the cuffs and chain she left there. After a few moments, he is securely tied in a position very similar to hers a few days back. Standing, hands stretched over his head, the collar and cuffs only piece of clothing. He is aroused, very much in fact, his cock twitching under her touch when she runs a finger over his length.

“Now my pet, I want to play a game. “, she smiles at him, letting the white of her teeth show. 

“I will play with you, but you can’t come. If you do, I will punish you. Do you understand? “

He swallows, rather noisily, before nodding.

Mikasa smiles, unclasping her bra and letting it fall to the floor, the choker now the only piece of cloth on her body. She slowly kneels in front of him, reaching up and grabbing him, giving his stiff length a slow pump. It’s a terrible torture. Serving her needs was arousing enough, and now that her strong but gentle hand is caressing him, the task of not finishing is impossible. He whines, biting his lips, trying his hardest to prevent it, but it’s a losing battle.

“M-Mistress please, “, he pleads, “I c-can’t hold it, I can’t control myself. I... “

Her hand lets him go for a blessed moment, as she straightens, grabbing his chin.

“Did I give you permission to speak, pet? “

“N-No mistress. “

“Well, we have to do something about that, don’t we? “

She walks over to the nightstand, pulling out a bright red ball gag. A few seconds later, he’s efficiently silenced, and she slowly slides back to her knees, her hand resuming the slow torture. Eren squints, biting into the rubber, blinking, trying his hardest. Its cute, really, Mikasa thinks, before pulling him into her mouth. If her hand was hard enough to resist, her mouth is impossible. Whining into the gag, Eren lasts for about twenty seconds before he comes, his member twitching inside her lips. She swallows it all, licking him up afterwards, before standing up with a very smug smile on her lips. 

“Seems like you can’t listen to orders, pet. I'll have to train you harder. “

Once again collecting things from the bed, she pulls a blindfold over his eyes, taking his vision away. Robbed of any way to track her, the anticipations build in his stomach, as he eagerly awaits her next move. The silence is suddenly cracked by the crop connecting with his backside. He groans, whole body rocking as he absorbs the blow. She’s gone again, the only sound he hears is his own ragged breathing. Another smack, this time from the front, spreading heat in his abdomen. The third is quick to follow, landing across his back. Her hands appear, running over him, her lips grazing the shell of her ear when she whispers.

“Can we continue, pet? “

Gagged, he can’t answer, so he settles for a simple nod of his head. Her touch disappears, and the crop lands again. After a while, he loses count of the hits. She’s spreading them evenly, no part of him is spared. The pain is mixing with the arousal, creating a cocktail that is making him drunk on this, drunk on her. Every so often, she whispers into his ear, asking his permission to go on. In the end its her who loses patience, the sight of his body straining in the bonds, reddening beneath her blows is reigniting her lust for him. She drops the whip, pulling out the gag to kiss him, aggressively, possessively, taking his mouth with her tongue, while her hands drop to slowly run over his length. Mikasa undoes the chain, pulling Eren to the bed, pushing him to fall on his back, climbing on top of him and straddling his hips. She quickly reaches out to tie the chain to the headboard, restraining his hands, before sitting back and taking a moment to compose herself. Eren is still blinded, so he doesn’t see, just feels her fingers on him, straightening his member, before she sinks down, taking him in. The sudden heat and tightness is too much, a groan ripping from his throat, while she continues until he’s all the way in, buried deep inside her. 

“Mistress, please, “, falls from him before she can start moving, “Let me see you, please. “

She’s too far gone to deny him, especially when he begs so nicely. Reaching out, she plugs the blindfold from him, bending down for another kiss.

“You can’t come before me, do you understand? “, she whispers against his lips.

He nods, clenching his fists. Satisfied, Mikasa sits back, slowly circling her hips, sighing as liquid pleasure pools in her abdomen. Soon she is rocking atop of him, their combined moans echoing from the walls. It’s a battle once more, and Eren fights as hard as he can, pushing back the tide of pleasure slowly winding up inside him as she rides him. Gritting his teeth, he holds, hoping it will be enough for her. He just makes it. Just before he is overcome, Mikasa screams, head tipping back, eyes rolling, her insides tightening around his length, the defined muscles of her abdomen clenching before him. Eren shouts, lost in his own release, coming inside her, the feeling better than any wild fantasy he ever had. 

Exhausted, Mikasa collapses on his chest, panting, while he screws his eyes shut, collecting what little is left from his brain. After some time, she gathers enough strength to free him, and he wraps his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. 

“Thank you, that was quite something. “

She looks up, radiant smile shining on her face.

“You liked it? “

He nods, smiling himself, before pressing a peck to her lips.

“You just made it very hard for me to come up with a better thing next time. “

She chuckles.

“I’m sure you’ll do good. “, she says, tracing a finger down his face, “I trained you well, didn’t I? “

He kisses the top of her finger.

“Yes mistress. “

Later, when they are both cleaned and lying in bed, this time to rest, he holds her close, whispering sweet nothingness into her ear, while she grins and hugs him back, the praise warming her inside and out. The next weekend couldn’t be here fast enough.


	5. Warming up

Armin stretched his hands over his head, reclining in his chair, and let out a long satisfied sigh. He made quite a progress on his book today, a pleasant surprise. His mind was not the calmest place right now, considering the events of the last few days. His first meeting with Annie on Friday went pretty damn well, he showed her around the city, mentioning the main hubs of activity. In the end, when he walked her to her house, he mustered enough courage and asked her out again. 

“So…. Y-You want to, like hang out again sometime? Together? “

She stared at him, the ice blue eyes not blinking, long enough to make his sweat.

“Id love to. “, she said finally, a tiny smile cracking her lips.

“Oh… W-What about M-Monday? You free? “

She nodded.

“It’s a date then. “, out of nowhere, she leaned closer and gave Armin a quick kiss on the cheek, before walking to her house. 

“See you Monday. “, she said over her shoulder, disappearing through the door.

Armin was too stunned to respond, managing only half-hearted nod. The weekend went over in a quick haze of anticipation, the meeting approaching at an alarming rate. To kill time, he started working on the book again, getting through his writer’s block and finishing more chapters than he hoped to have done by the end of the month. Glancing on the clock, he saw that he still had a few hours before the date, and he didn’t feel like working anymore. Perhaps he could grab a bite with Eren if the latter was free. Picking up his phone, he dialed his friend’s number.

“Hey Eren, how you doing? “

The other end of the line was silent. So he tried again.

“Eren? You there? “

“Hm. “

Was he interrupting something?

“Something wrong? “

“Nah. “

Right then.

“I just wanted to ask if you want to go out and grab something to eat. “

“Can’t. “

Armin shook his head, not understanding what was going on. 

“Right then. Sorry to bother you. Ill talk to you later. “

“Bye. “

Hanging up, he furrowed his brow. Something was definitely out of ordinary with his best friend.

Eren heard Armin hang up, putting the phone back into his pocket and letting his head fall against the chair with a groan. He didn’t want to be rude to him, but fuck, he just couldn’t talk. His jaw ached like crazy and his tongue felt like a dead weight in his mouth. To his pleasant surprise, Mikasa seemed to slip into her dominatrix role more and more comfortably, and damn she was demanding. A weekend spent in her power had a certain side effects. Luckily, the surgeons had a meeting this morning, so he could just sit with his mouth shut and nod to everything the others said. After that, he retreated to grab a cup of coffee before his shift started, hoping to work the ache out. Eren’s quiet musing was interrupted by a sound of door opening, another person entering the common room in the hospital. Ymir nodded to him, grabbing her own beverage and sitting across, her eyes studying him. 

“You were awfully quiet this morning Yeager. “

He shrugged, swirling his cup.

“What’s wrong, cat got your tongue? “, she chuckled.

If she only knew.

“Nah, my mouth is just tired. “

Ymir arched an eyebrow. 

“Your mouth is tired? How did that happen? “

Eren’s brain started furiously searching for an answer, anything else than saying that his tongue spent the weekend being abused by his girlfriend, and he loved every second of it. 

“Karaoke. “

She didn’t look convinced.

“Karaoke? “

He nodded.

“Yea, I took Mikasa out to sing. It was fun, but we’ve overdone it a bit. “

Not even bothering to answer, Ymir reached out and hooked a finger around the collar of his shirt, pulling it down to expose the rows of bitemarks on his neck. He groaned as she laughed, letting go of the fabric and sitting back in her chair.

“Karaoke? “, she said in a mocking voice.

Eren stood, red faced, and left the common room. His shift was starting soon anyway.

Being so rudely ditched by his best friend, Armin had a bright idea. He was meeting Annie later today, and he wanted to make the best impression possible. And he knew a person that might now something that will impress her. Grabbing his phone again, he called Mikasa. No one picked up for a long time, but just as he was about to hang up, she answered.

“Y-Yes? “, her voice was laced with sleep, letting him know that just a few seconds ago she was in the dreamland.

“Mikasa? Did I wake you? “, he checked the clock again, “Its 12 AM! “

“Yea? “, she yawned, he could almost hear her stretching. “I was just tired, so I’m resting. “

“Long night? “

“More like long and satisfying weekend. “, she chuckled, “Exhausting too. “

“What was so exhausting? “, Armin furrowed his brows, trying hard to imagine any kind of physical activity that would exhaust the human machine that she was.

“I-I... “, she stammered, suddenly sounding a bit embarrassed. “I exercised! A lot. “

Armin rubbed his forehead, deciding not to question the nature of the so-called exercise. 

“Right. Anyway, you want to grab a bite? I’d like to talk to you. “

He could hear the sheets rustle as she turned over, sighing. 

“I don’t really feel like eating, but we could get a coffee. “, she yawned again. “I got to take a nap first, I’m still beat. “

“Right, just give me a call when you wake. Later Mikasa. “

The line disconnected. Armin chuckled, looking at the computer screen in front of him. Looks like he still had to work for a while. A few hours later, he was waiting for her outside of a coffee shop, nervously checking his watch. The nap she took lasted longer than he expected, and the meeting with Annie was drawing closer and closer. Finally, he saw her approaching, the tell-tale red scarf wrapped around her neck. Waving, he went to meet her, only to stop and furrow his brow. Armin was never a very huge man, but he didn’t remember her being this tall. When she came closer, his question got answered, but another one took its place. 

“Mikasa, are you wearing heels? “

She shrugged, looking down at her feet. She was wearing a pair. A quite delicate black one. 

“What’s wrong with me wearing heels? “, she asked.

“N-Nothing, it looks good on you. It’s just, in the years we know each other, this is the first time I see you in this kind of shoes. “

Her face reddened all of a sudden as she nuzzled into her scarf.

“I-I just want to try it out, that’s all. And these are really pretty. “

“Yea, they are really beautiful. “, said Armin. Why was everyone acting so weird today?

“Anyway, I don’t think you asked me to come to discuss my choice of footwear, so what do you want to talk about? “, she asked, regaining some composure. 

A few minutes later, they were sitting inside, both holding cups of coffee as Armin wrestled with the task of asking Mikasa about the girl she looked like she hated. The girl he seemed to be developing really strong feelings for. 

“So, how’s life? “

Mikasa gave him a dead-stare. 

“How about you cut the bullshit. “

Right, that went well. 

“Ok, ok. I just wanted to ask about... you know… Annie? “

She almost choked on her coffee. 

“Annie? Why would you ask about that she-devil? “

Armin shrank in his chair, facing the full wrath of Mikasa Ackerman was no joke.

“Well…I… “, he cleared his throat, “Hypothetically speaking, I might or might not have a date with her later today. “

She groaned, thumping her head on the table. 

“Why? What’s wrong with you? She’s just an angry bag of muscle, nothing else. “

Armin couldn’t hold back his grin. 

“Look who’s speaking. “

“Point taken. “, she grimaced, sitting back in her chair, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“I don’t know if I can really help you, we studied her fighting style, not her lifestyle. “

“Come on, I’m totally in the dark here. “, Armin spread his hands, pleading.

“You could always ask what she likes, you know, you kind of have a date with her. “, Mikasa shrugged, unaffected.

“But that’s lame! “, Armin groaned, “Please, you must know something. “

She tapped her chin, wearing her best thinking face.

“Well, not that I think about, I heard something. She seems to enjoy history if I’m not mistaken. “

Armin’s heart jumped upon hearing that, he loved history himself. That also meant that he could take her to the local museum, a place he himself enjoyed visiting very much. Quickly checking his watch, he stood up.

“Thanks, Mikasa, you are a lifesaver, I could kiss you right now! “

She grinned, flashing the ring on her finger.

“Id advise against that, Eren can be unfairly jealous sometimes. But ill take you paying for my coffee as a suitable replacement. “

Armin fished in his wallet for the money, setting it on the table and saying his goodbyes to her before walking out. He was cutting it close already, and he didn’t want to be late. Arriving at the place, he saw her already standing there. What a start.

“Hi, sorry I’m late. “

She looked up, that tiny smile on her lips again. 

“You aren’t. I just came early. “

Oh.

“O-Okay, I was just thinking, do you want to go to the museum with me? “

A pause. A sudden fear gripped him. What if Mikasa was making fun of him? What if this was an elaborate bait, designed to prevent her friend from dating her mortal enemy? Annie took a breath, while Armin felt like crumbling on the spot.

“I’d love that. “

The stone that fell from his shoulders was massive. Smiling, he gestured for her to follow as he started walking to the museum. It was a massive success. Annie really seemed to genuinely enjoy history, so the conversation between them flowed beautifully. She knew a lot about the civil war, and overall seemed interested in military and wars, a subject Armin was well-versed in. Time seemed to fly as they just walked around, enjoying each other’s company, until the cold breeze reminded them that it’s gotten pretty late. 

“How about a coffee? “, Armin asked, rubbing his hands together.

With a nod from Annie, they walked over to the nearest shop. Just as they rounded the corner, Armin noticed something that made him stop and grab her by the arm, pulling her back. She staggered, her brow furrowing as she looked at him, question in her eyes.

“What’s wrong? “

He peeked around the corner, making sure that the image he saw was real. 

“Look, don’t you see? “

She took a peek herself, before shaking her head.

“I still feel like I’m missing something. “

“That guy, with the black hair, don’t you recognize him? “

She looked again, realization dawning on her face.

“That’s Mikasa’s trainer! What’s his name, Louis? “

“Levi. “, Armin did his best not to laugh. 

Annie arched an eyebrow on him. 

“And we are hiding because you are afraid of him? “

Armin felt his cheeks redden. 

“I’m not afraid of him! But look, he’s not alone. “

Across from the short man, there was a very disheveled looking woman, with brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail and glasses sitting on her nose. She was talking about something, gesturing wildly with her cup, while he listened intently with a smile on his face. Now that was a sight Armin didn’t see before. Levi smiling. Annie looked back, clearly still out of the loop.

“I hate to break it to you Armin, but he is a grown man, there is nothing weird about him having a female company. “

“No, you don’t understand. “, Armin shook his head, “He never had anyone. Like ever. That’s why its so weird. “

Patting his pockets, he pulled out his phone.

“I have to take a photo for Mikasa, otherwise she won’t believe me. “

“So, you want to take a photo of the man you are scared of, having a date with someone he tried very hard to hide from you all. Do you realize that he might not be very pleased when he finds out you photographed him here? “

Armin let his hand fall, Annie had a point. But then a genius idea struck him.

“Let’s take a selfie! “

She was looking even more confused now.

“And why would we do that? “

“Because that way I can’t get blamed for this. We take a selfie, and completely by accident, we catch him and his mysterious woman in the background. Nothing can go wrong. “

She groaned but agreed. Trying to look as casual as possible, Armin carefully positioned himself and Annie to stand just right, so he could see the secret date right over her left shoulder. Satisfied, he snapped the photo, grinning wide. After getting a coffee in a different shop, they slowly walked back over to her house, because he insisted that he’ll accompany her. What a gentleman. When they finally reached her door, he was knitting together what to say, but his thoughts got interrupted when she leaned closer and kissed him, full on the mouth this time. Taken aback, it took him a moment to fully give in, moving his lips alongside hers, a warmth spreading through his entire being. 

“I really enjoyed tonight. You want to go out again sometime soon? “, she asked when they separated, her eyes sparkling. 

Out of breath, all he could do was nod. She smiled again before turning and leaving, his thoughts slowly catching up.

“Ill call you! “, he shouted after her.

She gave him a last wink over her shoulder, before slipping through the door. As Armin walked back to his house, the night was feeling strangely warm. The date went great, and now he had the mystery of Levi’s mysterious companion to crack. 

Life was good.


	6. Mysterious stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the newest pair to this story, which you might have guessed from the last chapter :D .
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

“You’ll have to tell her about me one day anyway, you know. If Mikasa is half as smart as you are describing her, she has a hunch by now. “

Levi groaned, turning on his side and doing his best to ignore Hange’s comment. She chuckled, slapping his bicep, stood up from the bed and stretched before heading to the bathroom. He knew she was right, he couldn’t keep her as a secret forever. But how was he supposed to do it? What was she to him anyway? 

They met in his gym, of course, he spent most of his waking hours there. Seeing her using one of the machines, he noticed that her form was wrong, and as a mindful owner, went to fix it for her. They ended up talking, which led to a coffee invitation, the meeting ultimately resulting in a night spent together. Levi remembered lying in her bed, with her snoring right next to him, deciding if he should slip out or stay. He stayed in the end, because Levi Ackerman is not a man to run from his troubles. He didn’t want a relationship or anything, he didn’t have time for shit like that. All he had to do was tell her in the morning, right? It went far better than expected. She said she wasn’t looking for anything serious either but didn’t mind if they could just have some fun together sometime. That’s how they ended up. She visited his gym about two times a week, and when either of them felt like having a company they asked the other one out for coffee, which usually led to spending the night together. 

After a few of these “dates”, Levi found out that he likes Hange even outside the bedroom. She was friendly, smart, funny and could always lighten up his mood. And she loved talking. He could just sit and nod while she went on endlessly about her job, colleagues or personal matters. He liked their time together, very much in fact. This arrangement they had was about as comfortable as it could get, and neither of them made any moves to change it. 

“And how am I supposed to introduce you? “, he called after her, “Hey Mikasa, this is my friend Hange, she’s a research worker who never shuts up. Oh, and by the way, we are fucking for about a year already. “

He heard her laugh from behind the closed doors, but she didn’t bother to answer. Levi grumbled, crossing his arms on his chest as he tried to somehow find a way to bring Hange into his very tight circle of friends without sounding like a total asshole. She wasn’t really pressuring him to tell anyone, but honestly, he felt like he should. He heard the door click as she emerged, fully dressed, heading to the exit.

“Ill see you in the gym, okay? “, she called over her shoulder.

And just like that, she was gone. 

Eren felt like he could just fall on his face and sleep for a week. His shift in the hospital was incredibly exhausting today. Three different surgeries, with a number of other patients he had to check up on left him feeling completely drained. Finally home, he dragged himself to the living room to find Mikasa seated on the couch, watching some movie, dressed only in one of his older shirts. He really enjoyed her wearing them, mostly because he was only a few centimeters taller, which meant that those borrowed pieces of clothing ended up about halfway on her ass, giving him a great view of the rest. But right now, he was way too beat to even feel aroused. Collapsing face first next to her, he let the cushions muffle his relaxed sigh on finally having something soft pressed to his face. He heard her shuffle a bit, and then she pulled him closer, resting his head to her lap. This feels ever better than pillows, he thought to himself as he nuzzled his face into the warm skin of her upper thighs, feeling so relaxed that he could melt. This only intensified as her fingers started threading through his hair, gently scratching the scalp. Mikasa didn’t ask him anything, knowing that right now, all he wanted to do was sleep. 

Their silent moment was interrupted by her phone, which buzzed loudly. Shooting him an apologetic smile, she picked it up one-handed, continuing the soothing movements with the other hand. 

“Oh my god, Eren, you are not going to believe this. “

He grunted, reaching out with his arms and wrapping them around her midriff, pulling himself closer. Right now, he couldn’t really give a shit even if the third world war would start. 

“Armin was out with Annie and they saw Levi on a date with someone! This is insane! I have never seen him dating anyone. What do you think? Eren? “

The lack of response finally made her look down. He was sleeping, quite peacefully, resting on her thighs with arms around her torso. Mikasa sighed, put down the phone, carefully climbing from under him, taking great care not to wake him. Once free, she picked him up, and made her way towards their bedroom. Eren was grumbling about something, drooling a bit onto her, well technically his, shirt, but didn’t wake. In the bedroom, she undressed him, putting him to the bed. Once he was safely tucked in she climbed in after him, hugging him from behind and pressing a light kiss to his nape, closing her eyes. Eren is definitely not going to believe her tomorrow. 

Luckily, Armin sent her the photo as a proof.


	7. An introduction is in order

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The meeting happens. And things get freaky, well, kind of. 
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

“Can you just tell me what are we doing again? “, Eren called from his place, where he was lying sprawled on the bed, watching the ceiling.

“I already told you like five times already, “, Mikasa answered from the bathroom, “Don’t make me say it again. “

He laughed sitting up, running a hand through his ruffled hair. 

“But I still can’t believe it. Baby please, for the last time. “

She sighed, he could act like such a kid sometimes.

“We are going to a club, with Levi and his girlfriend, who he wants to introduce to us. Satisfied? “

“Double date with Levi. “, he fell back to the sheets, laughing, “Now that’s an event I thought ill never live to see. “

Mikasa frowned at her reflection in the mirror, deciding if she should try and put on some make-up. Her hair was growing out again, she noticed, reaching almost to her shoulders. She should cut it, in the fights it was getting in the way. Plus, she liked having short hair, Eren can be the one with the glorious mane in their relationship. Exiting the bathroom, she saw him sit up again, looking at her. 

“What do you think? “, she asked, making a quick turn so he can see her from all angles. 

She wasn’t really wearing anything special, a short dress and those black heels she bought few weeks back. Due to her lack of skill in make-up, she decided to just apply some lipstick and leave it at that. Eren’s eyes widened a bit, as he swallowed, looking her over.

“I think that calling you beautiful would be an understatement. “

She frowned at him, but secretly felt pleased.

“Flatterer. “

He laughed, standing up and walking over to her, putting his hands around her waist.

“So, do we really have to go there? Now that I saw you, id really like if we could stay home and spend the evening together, just the two of us. “

“Come on Eren, don’t tell me that you don’t want to see the mysterious woman that captured my brother’s heart? “

She felt his hands slowly itch downward, until he could grab her ass playfully, kissing her neck. 

“To get a piece of this? Sure! “

Mikasa swatted his hands away, laughing as she walked over to the door.

“Don’t be such a party pooper. Come on. “, she threw him a look over her shoulder, “If you behave, you might get a piece of it later. “

He grunted but followed. The evening couldn’t be done fast enough. 

“This was a mistake. “

Hange clicked her tongue, frowning at him over the rims of her glasses.

“They are not even here, and you are already grumpy. Someone pissed in your coffee this morning? “

Levi grumbled, looking at the bottom of his glass. He still didn’t know why he organized this. The time was long overdue, he knew that, but ever since he called Mikasa to invite her and that boyfriend of hers to come and meet Hange, his mood was getting progressively shittier. The loud music was slowly getting on his nerves, the drinks were expensive, the people were awfully touchy-feely on the dancefloor and the bartender looked like he was on drugs. 

“I don’t know why we just couldn’t get this done over a coffee or something. This whole introduction could be done in five minutes. “

“Oh, come on, I want to talk them! Mikasa sounds like a super sweet girl, and Eren is a medical prodigy, our research center is in business with the hospital he’s working at, and all I hear about him is praise. Unless you are the one talking about him of course, then he is the most boring human being, and your sister is throwing away her future by dating him. Did I get it right? “

“More or less. “

Levi didn’t really have anything against the boy in particular, he was just a bit overprotective about Mikasa. He chuckled when he remembered the first time she brought him home. He threatened to cut Eren’s balls off if he ever made her cry, and possibly partly because of that, he never saw her sad when she was with him. His musings were interrupted by a familiar voice calling his name. Looking up, he saw Mikasa dragging Eren by the hand through the club, expertly finding her way between the other people. 

“Hey Levi, so sorry we are late. “, she smiled brightly, offering her hand to Hange, “So you must be the mysterious woman! “

“I am Hange. Levi told me so much about you Mikasa, and you Eren. I’m so happy I finally get to meet you both! “, she answered, taking the offered hand and shaking it, “Damn, you got quite a grip! “

“You have no idea. “, said Eren, offering his own hand.

Sitting down, Hange took a deep breath, smiling broadly at the newcomers.

“I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to begin! “

The conversation flowed both ways, with Mikasa and Hange getting to know each other, Eren chiming in from time to time. Levi sat quietly, listening, drinking a glass after glass in a hope to dull his senses enough to ignore the club that was surrounding him. Sitting here, he was quickly reminded just how much he didn’t like places like this. The others seemed to be enjoying themselves though. As the night went on and more drinks were consumed, the questions were bolder and bolder, with a lot of stupid laughter on both sides. Suddenly, Mikasa stood up, pulling Eren to his feet and towards the dance floor. Hange looked over at the slumped silhouette of her partner, chuckling. 

“I guess you won’t ask me for a dance, will you. “

“I’m sorry, but no. This is not for me. You go have fun if you want to, I don’t mind. “

She reached out, ruffling his hair affectionately. She knew that Levi was very anti-social and that even coming here tonight was a sacrifice from his part. 

“I’m just going to grab a drink “, she said, standing up and swaying on her feet dangerously. “Maybe one without alcohol for a change. “

Eren was having a lot of fun. The mysterious woman turned out to be a great person, quick to laugh and joke, even at her own expense. And she loved to talk, effortlessly filling the void that Levi’s silence created. Now, he was on the dance floor with his fiancé, feeling like the night can’t get any better. Neither of them really knew how to dance, so they kind of grinded against each other, creating a very pleasurable friction between themselves. Just as he was getting warmed up, a hand tapped on his shoulder, making him turn away. 

“Partner change! “, Hange called, quickly taking his place next to very confused Mikasa. 

Looking around, Eren saw Levi sitting by himself at the booth, staring into his glass. 

“Go talk to him, will you? I have a feeling he might share something he would never say sober. “, she said, winking at him over her glasses. 

Feeling very cheated, he made his way back to their table, sitting down. Levi looked up, eyes narrowing as he tried to focus on his face. He seemed really drunk.

“Why aren’t you dancing? “, he asked, slowly formulating the words.

“Your girl stole my girl, so I just figured ill rest my legs a bit. “, Eren said, leaning back in his chair. “Not like I can match Mikasa’s stamina anyway. “

Levi nodded slowly, returning his gaze to his glass and turning it over in his hands. He started speaking, carefully picking out the words to make sure that the alcohol in his system won’t affect what he was trying to convey. 

“Listen, Eren, I want to tell you something. I want to, err, apologize for my behavior when we first met. Hell, I never really acted nice towards you, even when you gave me no reason to be angry at you. I was just afraid that you might break Mikasa’s heart, she never was in love before. But you make her happy, and I never really appreciated that. “

He looked up, finding the raven-haired girl on the dance floor, trying to teach some moves to Hange, which looked suspiciously close to self-defense. She was red-faced, laughing as the older woman tried and failed to follow her instructions and, lacking her strength and agility, ended up sprawled on the floor. 

“Never in my life I’ve seen her smile and laugh so much. I tried so hard to make her happy, but she was always so serious, I couldn’t make her forget what happened. But you did it. “, Levi fidgeted with his glass, “What I’m trying to say, is that whatever you are doing with her, just please keep doing it. “

Eren had honestly no idea how to respond, praise was the last thing he expected from the short man. 

“T-Thank you sir. I swear I will do all in my power to keep her as happy as possible. “, he smiled, “I love her. “

Levi nodded, feeling satisfied with the answer.

“You should go and rescue her from Hange’s clutches, Yeager, before she kidnaps her home. “

Eren stood, looking over to the pair of them.

“I don’t think that anyone is physically able to kidnap Mikasa. “

A few seconds after he left, red-faced Hange stumbled back to the table, gasping for breath. Grabbing her glass, she quickly emptied it, shooting Levi a smile. 

“That was fun. But my dance partner got stolen away, some guy came claiming that he is her fiancé, would you believe it? “

Levi chuckled, draping an arm over his partner’s shoulders. 

“I’m glad you had fun. “

“I sure did. “, she yawned, stretching her hands over her head, “But I’m beat. We should cut it out and head home. “

Levi nodded, feeling drunk enough to leave himself. Squinting, he tried to find Eren and Mikasa on the dance floor, but he couldn’t see them. 

“Where are they? “

“Last I saw, she was dragging him somewhere to the back. “, she smiled, “I possibly gave her a few ideas. “

“So, you want to pay for our drinks and go? “

“We could do that, “she said, eyes twinkling, “Or we could sneak out and leave the whole bill for Eren to pay. “

“Jesus. “, he said, looking at her, “You are serious, aren’t you? “

She nodded. 

No one saw them leave. 

The night was getting progressively better. Eren never imagined in his wildest dreams that his usually coy girlfriend would drag him to a bathroom stall and start making out with him. He didn’t mind, but he also didn’t want her to do something she would regret later. Breaking from her lips, he collected his jumbled thoughts enough to talk. 

“Mikasa wait. You realize what you are doing, right? “

She leaned back, tapping her finger to her chin. 

“I don’t know Eren, “, her hips pressed into his, making him hiss. “What does it look like? “

“You want to have sex in a club? “, he arched an eyebrow, “I’m not complaining, but its just not like you very much. “

“I’m drunk, horny, and that dancing did nothing to satisfy it. What’s wrong with getting freaky once in a while? “

He grinned, sliding his hands down to her ass. 

“Not a thing. “

She angled his face to hers again, kissing him wildly while his hands slid under her dress to grope her. After some time, she reached down, undoing his fly and finally freeing his straining member. She stood, nudging her panties aside enough to slide him in, sitting back down on his lap with a moan. His own head fell back when he felt her envelop him, knocking on the wall. Her hips started circling, as they muffled each other’s sound with their kiss, working towards their peaks. Even drunk as he was, he wanted her to be satisfied, slipping a hand beneath the hem of her dress and under her panties, pressing two fingers to her clit, speeding her up. After getting so worked up during their dance, he felt that this wasn’t going to be his longest performance. Luckily for him, she was about as aroused as he was, and soon her body started betraying her, giving him the signs, he was looking for. Bucking against her, he sped up his hand, pulling her over the edge. Only after she collapsed against his chest, he allowed himself to come, biting her shoulder to keep quiet. 

“Crazy enough for you? “, he asked, brushing some strands from her eyes.

She chuckled, standing up and fixing her underwear, her legs unsteady. 

“Let’s get out of here. “

When they found out that Levi and Hange had bailed already, and left them the bill to pay as well, Eren couldn’t hold back his laughter. He paid, shaking his head.

“Seems like I got fucked today, didn’t I? “, he said, winking at her.

Mikasa punched him in the shoulder. 

The ride back was quiet, both of them properly tired. Once home, they took a shower together, before climbing to the bed. Seeing her walking in front of him in his t-shirt, it reignited the old question he had. Normally, he wouldn’t ask, but now he was the right amount of drunk and tired that his mental barriers just didn’t exist. 

“Mikasa? “

She groaned in reply, too tired to talk.

“I want to ask you something, and please don’t laugh, I’m serious. “

She propped herself on her forearms, looking into his eyes. He was biting his lip, ears red. Whatever he was about to say, he seemed a bit ashamed by it.

“I’m listening. “

She felt his hands, glide down her back before they rested on her ass, giving it a light squeeze.

“Would you be willing to give me the piece of that? “

She frowned, confused.

“I thought we already took care of that back in the club. “

“No, that’s not what I mean. “

He gave her another squeeze, gaze expectant. She slowly pierced one and one together, eyebrows arching up as she realized what he was implying.

“Oh, you mean like, err, ass stuff? “

“Yea, ass stuff. “, he said, chuckling. 

Chewing her bottom lip, she turned the question over in her head. Truth be told, she thought about it a few times herself, but never acted on it. But what was there to lose? They both thoroughly enjoyed the stuff they did together, what was the worst that could happen? If she didn’t like it, all she had to do was say it, and he would back off, she knew that. Then a recent discovery sprang in her mind, and she smiled, plan forming.

“Let’s make a deal then, Eren. Ill let you do butt stuff to me if you will let me do the same to you. “

His face reddened even more, eyes widening.

“Now now, “, she said, wiggling her finger at him, “Don’t play coy with me. I saw the stuff you bought, you did think about it, didn’t you? “

He nodded, slowly. 

“You know what they say, what’s wrong with getting freaky once in a while, right? “, he laughed nervously, averting his gaze. 

“Hey, “she grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her, “I’m not judging, ok? I’m as perverted as you are. So, you want to do this? “

He swallowed, nodding again. 

“Right then. “, she said, yawning and lying back down. “We have a deal. “

“You drive a hard bargain lady.“, he said, which made them both giggle violently.

This is going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things WILL get freaky, but in the next chapter, i promise.
> 
> Till next time!


	8. Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a thing that got into my mind recently, Eren trying to cope with the death of his patient. 
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

“No! Fuck! “

Eren backed off from the operating table, staring in disbelief on the heap of blood and skin that laid atop of it. The heap which just a few minutes ago was a young girl, who he was supposed to save. On the other side of the room, Ymir sighed, dropping her eyes. The silence in the room was deafening, disturbed only by the sound of the heart monitor. Flatlining. He looked around wildly, hoping that someone, anyone will do something to stop this, to save the girl, but no one moved, because there was nothing that could be done. Not anymore. 

“Eren, you have to declare the time of death. “, Ymir said, eyes above the surgical mask looking straight at him. 

He stared back, not believing what he heard. 

“What? No! We can save her! Come on, we have to… “

“Eren. Stop. She’s gone. We have done what we could, but it’s over. Now declare the time of death. “

He looked down at his bloodstained gloves, and then back to the body lying in front of him. No, she’s wrong. There must be something he can do. He was supposed to be the miracle worker, the one who could prevent anyone from dying. The cold reality, that sometimes even he couldn’t do anything, was like an icy shower, one which he didn’t like at all. 

“Dr. Yeager! “, Ymir’s voice woke him from his trance, “The time of death. Now! “

Slowly, like in a dream, he checked the clock hanging on the wall. 

“I-Its… T-The t-time of death is… “, he swallowed, trying to work the terrible words around the lump in his throat. “The time of death is three A.M., t-thirty… Thirty minutes. “

She nodded, satisfied. And he couldn’t take it anymore. Stumbling away from her, away from his failure, away from all the blood, he almost ran out of the operating theater. Shedding away his bloodied gloves and mask, tugging the cover off his hair, he crossed the hospital corridors to the common room. Once he arrived, he grabbed a cup of coffee, but his hands were shaking so much that most of it ended on the floor anyway. Collapsing down on one of the chairs, he dropped his head to his hands, staring at the table. How could this happen? He replayed the whole surgery in his head, trying to find a fault, a mistake he made. But he just couldn’t see it. Hearing footsteps coming closer, he looked up to see Ymir, who sat down next to him, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“You ok? “

“Ymir, I... I don’t understand. What did I do wrong? “

She sighed, shaking her head.

“We didn’t do anything wrong. The surgery was risky at best, her internal organs were failing by the time we got her on the table. We all did our best, Eren, we just couldn’t have saved her. “

“There must be something we could have done. She was so young, this... this is not fair. “

“Life is not fair. “, she shrugged, “We did our best, it wasn’t enough. Tough luck. “

Eren didn’t understand how she could be so calm. He personally felt like a wreck. Yet he knew that she was right. Everyone lost patients sometime, there were injuries and sicknesses beyond what the modern medicine could save. But somehow, he kept hoping that he would be spared of this reality. Ymir stood up, offering a tiny smile. 

“Get changed and go home. You are in no condition to stay here. “

“B-But I can’t. My shift is not done! “

“Your hands are shaking; do you really want to treat patients like this? “, she shook her head, “Go, before I tell Erwin to have security drag you outside. “

She left, leaving him alone with his guilt, with the cold fingers that were gripping his insides. Slowly, he stood up, and left for the changing room, dragging his feet. Even in the shower, with water beating down on him, he couldn’t stop thinking about the girl. He must have missed something, this was his fault. He was the one who cut her open, hoping to cure her. And he killed her instead. Whole body trembling, he exited the shower and dressed, walking to the parking lot. The hospital was busy, even in this ungodly hour. Nurses and doctors streamed past him, the patients were sitting around, waiting their turn. No one spared him a second glance. How could they ignore him, with the blood he carried on his hands? Finally getting to his car, he sat down behind the steering wheel, trying to control his breathing. The shaking of his hands was so bad that he didn’t even trust himself to drive. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself, tried to banish the thoughts from his head, suppress them. It took him about fifteen minutes before he could control himself enough to drive, leaving the parking lot and the hospital behind, following the familiar illuminated roads to his house. 

Pulling in the driveway, he left the car, the cold air of night hitting him right in the face. It helped him regain some kind of composure, and he pulled himself upright, crossing the short distance to his door. Once there, he remembered that Mikasa was most likely sleeping, so he slipped in as silently as possible, doing his best not to wake her. Once inside however, the walk to their bedroom was just too much for him. Everything came crashing down, all the things he pushed back so he could get home safely, tearing him apart at once. He collapsed on the couch, trembling, hiding his face in his hands again, whole body curling into a ball. How could he let this happen? She was twelve years old, had a whole life in front of her. And he let her down, her blood was on his hands. Ymir surely lied to him, plain and simple, trying to make him feel better, he didn’t deserve any of it. His eyes were starting to get wet, and before he realized it, he was crying, sobs wracking his body. He tried being as silent as possible, not wanting to wake her up, but she was always a light sleeper.

He didn’t even hear her coming, but suddenly a hand wrapped around him, rubbing small circles into his back. Looking up, he saw her kneeling next to the couch, understanding on her face.

“What happened? “, she asked, her voice soft. 

She knew the answer, even before he said it, there was just one thing that could hurt Eren as deep as this.

“I-I killed her, Mikasa. “, he looked down at his hands, surprised that they were clean and not bloodied, “I’m a murderer. “

She didn’t say anything, just sat down next to him, and pulled him to her lap, letting him rest his head on her chest. Eren hugged her close, closing his eyes, the warmth from her slowly melting the ice in his insides. 

“It’s okay, just let it out. “, she whispered, stroking his hair. 

He broke. 

The tears came unmuffled now, streaking down his face and into her shirt, completely soaking it. And he knew he should be able to handle this better, but he just couldn’t. Such a young life, ending beneath his hands was just too much for him to take. Mikasa kept silent, her fingers gently scratching his scalp, offering the silent support he needed so much right now. Eren didn’t know how long he cried, but in the end his eyes dried, and the tremble faded, allowing him to lift his head from her chest, sniffing. 

“Thank you. I-I really needed this. “

She nodded, leaning in and giving him a small peck on the lips. 

“Anytime Eren. You can always lean on me when you need it. “

“I soaked your shirt, I’m sorry. “

“Oh, I don’t mind. “, she smiled, “Its one of yours anyway. “

Laughing, he stood up, pulling her to her feet and giving her a proper kiss, leaning his forehead against hers afterwards.

“Let’s go to bed. “

After she changed from her wet attire to a new one, they climbed under covers, holding each other, and he told her everything. She listened, and afterwards kissed him and told him that he did his best. And he believed her. When she fell asleep, he stayed up, listening to her breathing and stroking her hair, and he wondered what he ever did to deserve someone like her in his life. And he promised, to the silence around him and the darkness outside, that he will treasure her always, because she deserved that and so much more. 

Forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for the prompts i got, ill get to them as soon as possible!  
> Till next time!


	9. And no gain

Eren has never attended a more awkward dinner. Who even had that incredibly bright idea of him and Armin taking their girlfriends out together? Now Mikasa and Annie were both trying their hardest to throw a look as poisonous as possible at each other. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what would the atmosphere be like if he didn’t have the amazing notion to ask Ymir to come along.

“What’s the catch? “, she wanted to know, when he proposed that she joins them. 

“What catch? “, he said, trying to look as innocent as possible.

She tapped a finger on her chin, thinking. 

“All right, ill come if you are paying. “

He groaned, but inside he was jumping with joy. 

“Oh, and is it okay if I bring my girlfriend? “

Eren grinned and nodded, feeling that maybe the evening won’t be such a failure after all. 

Now Ymir and Krista were the only ones looking relaxed, shooting jokes left and right and overall doing their best to prevent the two fighters from clawing each other’s eyes out. The small blonde girl was a delight, energetic and quick to laugh, always wearing a smile. Ymir told them that she worked in the hospital archives, which gave her a nickname, Historia. The petite woman groaned at that, punching her girlfriend in the arm, but everyone else was laughing. As the evening dragged, Eren did his best to try and make peace between Mikasa and Annie, but to no avail. Any attempt to make them talk to each other was met with refusals and glares, so eventually he just gave up and enjoyed himself. Armin, Ymir and Krista were a great company on their own, if Mikasa intends to brood all night, she can do it by herself. 

It was dark when they got out of the restaurant, the street lights illuminating the world around them. 

“Are you sure you want to head home? “, Ymir asked, spinning the laughing Krista around, “Because we are going dancing, and you are most welcome to come along. “

A quick look at his fiancé gave Eren the answer. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m super tired, “, he feigned a yawn, “You two enjoy yourselves! “

Saying their goodbyes, the girls left to continue with their night while the four of them remained standing awkwardly around. Just as Armin was about to say his own goodbye and take Annie away, a new voice cut into the silence.

“Yeager? Eren Yeager? “

He turned around, seeing that the speaker was a man in a long trench coat, with an unkept appearance and unshaved face, blinking into the light.

“Yes? “, he answered, curious what he might want with him. 

Several things happened at once. The stranger pulled out a gun from his pocket, aiming it at Eren. Noticing that, Armin let out a high-pitched scream, alerting Annie on the situation. With the distance to the shooter being too long, the blonde girl did the only thing she could. She jumped in the way of the bullet. The shot hit her in the stomach, and she doubled over in pain, clutching her side. The attacker, clearly surprised, tried a second shot, but it was too late. The small amount of time Annie bought was enough for Mikasa to react, and she jumped the man, trying to disarm him. The second gunshot rang, the bullet aiming for her instead, grazing her cheek and leaving a burning trail behind. Then she was on him, crashing into his body and knocking them both to the ground, the weapon flying from his hands. Eren blinked, waking up from the trance the first shot put him in, running to Annie and kneeling next to her. She was breathing hard, her face distorted in agony, but she didn’t make a sound. 

“Let me see, “, he said, pulling her shirt up to check the wound. 

Putting his hand on the other side of her body, he was relieved to feel his fingers come away sticky. 

“It’s a clear shot Annie, the bullet went right out. “

She nodded, her jaw clenched tight against the pain. 

“You will be ok, keep pushing on the wound to limit the bleeding. “

Looking up, he saw that Armin was already on the phone, getting the ambulance and cops to come as soon as possible. But when he looked at Mikasa, another problem arose. She had an arm around the shooter’s throat, pulling hard, choking any air out of him. Her eyes were dark with something he never saw before, rage and hatred burning in them. Fuck, she is going to kill him. He stood and quickly ran over to her, putting an arm on her shoulder. Her head raised, she locked eyes with him, and for a second Eren was afraid that she is going to jump him next, before realization dawned in them. 

“Mika, baby, please let him breathe. You can’t kill him, that’s not justice. Leave him to the cops. “

She nodded, slowly, and eased her hold, letting him suck in a breath, coughing. His head twisted around enough to look at Eren, incredible hurt in his gaze. 

“You killed her you bastard. You killed my girl. “

Realization dawned on Eren. This must be the father of the girl that died on his table a few days back, the one with severe internal failures. The one he failed to save. A lump rose in his throat, as the old agony resurfaced, clutching his heart in icy fingers again. The man wanted to say more, but Mikasa grabbed his hair and smashed his face into the cobblestones, knocking him out. She stood up and hugged him without saying a word. Just as he buried his face in her shoulder, he heard the sirens coming. 

“The shot went straight through, we treated the wound and put her in bed, the best we can do now is to let her rest and heal. “, the doctor looked up from the papers, offering them a tired smile. “We expect a full recovery. “

Eren nodded, feeling relieved. They were sitting in the waiting room in the hospital while Annie was in surgery, looking forward to the news. She was not the only one hurt however. Mikasa had a cut on her cheek, right below the eye where the bullet grazed her. Eren cleared it and stitched it, happy to see that it wasn’t very deep. She will have quite a scar, that was for sure. Yet her physical condition was not his biggest concern right now. Ever since the adrenaline in her died down, he could see her becoming more and more tense, clutching his hand tighter. He rubbed her shoulder, kissing her temple, trying to get her to calm down. 

“You need anything? “

She shook her head.

“I just want to go home. “

“I just need to fill in some paperwork to make sure Annie get the best treatment possible. Can you wait here with Armin? “

She nodded, reluctantly letting go of him. He walked away at a brisk pace, wanting to be reunited with her as soon as possible. Armin stood as well, saying that he needs to pick up some coffee, leaving her alone for a moment. Suddenly a door opened, and a nurse walked out, and through the crack Mikasa could see Annie, laying in the bed seemingly asleep. Standing up, she walked inside the room, crossing the distance to her. She looked so vulnerable, with machines beeping and tube inside her arm, so small among all the medical white. Mikasa reached out, taking Annie’s hand, trying to find the words to describe what she felt. All the hate and rivalry she felt for her were so insignificant now. This woman just saved her fiancé’s life, selflessly jumped in the bullet that was meant for him. She owed her so much, and she wondered if she will ever be able to repay her. Mikasa felt her eyes water, a tear flowing down her cheek. She squeezed the sleeping blondes hand, hoping that the touch will convey the things she couldn’t bring herself to say. Annie’s eyes suddenly opened, gaze flicking up to her. A single nod, that was all she did, but Mikasa felt like she understood. 

“Thank you. “, she said, “Thank you so much. “

Hearing Eren call for her outside, she gave Annie’s hand one last squeeze before letting go, and walking out of the room, back to him. The ride back was silent, with Mikasa gazing out of the window on the passing lights, fighting back the demons of the past. The gunshots and darkness brought her back, back to the day so many years ago when she lost her parents, unable to save them. And tonight might have been the same, if not for Annie. When they finally got to bed, she hugged Eren close, putting her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat, the steady rhythm soothing her. He was alive, saved by the woman she thought was her enemy, but now she saw how childish that was. She had to get to know Annie better. 

“Are you okay? “, she heard Eren ask, as he dragged his fingers through her hair, gently scratching her scalp.

“It’s just memories, they can’t hurt me. “, she replied, looking up at him. “What about you? Didn’t the guy get under your skin again. “

He shook his head.

“I did my best, I just couldn’t save the girl. It took me some time to realize that, but I know that I didn’t do anything wrong. “

She smiled at that, but felt her cheek sting where the cut was, grimacing.

“How do you think it will look once the stitches are out? “

“I think that you will look even more badass than before. “, he caressed her face, and she leaned into the touch, closing her eyes.

“You still have to apologize to Annie once she gets better. “

She groaned, wiggling a bit to get more comfortable. Here, safe in his arms, with his heart thumping beneath her head, she let the sleep claim her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny fact, the original thought that led me to writing this was realization that Mikasa in my AU didnt have the scar on her cheek, and because it looks badass on her, i had to add it somehow.  
> I will get to work on the prompts soon™, no worries.  
> Till next time!


	10. An offer that you can't refuse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a connecting chapter, just going with the flow.  
> Also Erwin.
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

“Just keep taking the prescribed medication, and you will be right as rain in no time. “, Eren said, filling the piece of paper in front of him with his handwriting.

His patient, a middle-aged man with an ongoing ingestion problem, muttered his thanks and left to pick up his medication. Reclining in his chair, Eren stretched, stifling a yawn. It was another long day at the hospital, while the surgeries weren’t as regular, he had a ton of work in the emergency, diagnosing and treating various diseases and wounds of anyone who came in. And while it was surely exhausting, he enjoyed the work. He always felt like following his father’s footsteps and helping other people was his calling. After a full shift however, he was really looking forward to going home and finally relaxing for a bit. Checking the sky outside and seeing how much it darkened, he considered calling Mikasa to ask what takeout he should bring for dinner. I can do that after another patient, he thought to himself, standing up and leaving his office to call another one in. Surprisingly, he bumped into Ymir on the way out. 

“Hey, can I help you? “, he asked, running a hand through his hair.

Lately it was so long that he had to tie it into a ponytail, otherwise it would interfere with his work. He considered cutting it, but Mikasa seemed to really enjoy threading her fingers through it and pulling it during their…activities together. 

“Me? I don’t need anything. “, she frowned a bit, as if she suffered a great injustice, “I was minding my own business when Erwin called me to go and relieve you of the rest of your shift. He wants to talk to you in his office. “

The Chief Financial Officer of the whole hospital wanted to talk to him? What was that about? Even when thinking, he couldn’t really find a reason why he would be needed. Was it maybe about the guy who tried to shoot him few weeks back? 

“You have any idea what he wants with me? “

Ymir shook her head. “Nope, he didn’t say. But don’t let me keep you, go. “

She squeezed past him, leaving him alone with his thoughts racing. This continued the whole walk to his destination, his mind trying to find an explanation for the sudden summons. Knocking on the door, he went in.

“Eren! Finally, I was waiting for you. “

Erwin was an energetic older man with athletic figure and head full of blonde hair. He gestured for him to sit, putting some papers away to focus on the newcomer. 

“Sir, you wanted to see me? “

“Oh please, call me Erwin. You want something to drink? Your shift is done right? “, he smirked, pulling out an expensive looking bottle of some alcohol.

“A tempting offer, but I have to drive home, so not for me, thank you. “

Stashing the bottle back, Erwin took a deep breath, as if trying to puzzle together what he was trying to say. 

“All right, I won’t keep you long Eren, I just need to discuss some things with you. “

“Is it about the girl who died S… Erwin? Or about her father? “, Eren came to peace about the loss of her life, he knew that he did his best for her. But talking about it was like opening an old wound, one he was really glad didn’t hurt anymore. 

“What? No, of course not. Everyone who checked your work said the same thing, you couldn’t have done more. This is about something entirely different, don’t worry. “, the CFO shot him a quick smile, maybe trying to appear sympathetic, “The matter I want to discuss with you is of a more… delicate nature. “

Eren took a more comfortable position in the chair, glad that the conversation wont steer in that direction after all. 

“I’m listening. “

“Right then. As you know your personal… fame, if you want to call it that, is spreading. People have already paid to have their surgeries done by you, and you have not let anyone down. Very commendable of you. “

Eren didn’t really know what to say to that. Yes, he knew that sometimes he was requested, and he knew that both him and the hospital profited from that. If he was being honest, he didn’t really care much for who he was performing a surgery on. When they were on the table, they were not a person, they were a life he had to save, and he always did his best to achieve that goal. 

Erwin kept going. “There is another step that I would like you to consider. A certain wealthy patron has recently contacted me with a very interesting offer. He is willing to pay top dollar to have his heart replaced, it is failing him. And he wants you to do it. “

“If he wants a heart, he must wait, no? The transplant lists are there for a reason, the donors are quite rare. “

“Yes, about that. “, Erwin laced his fingers together, “He won’t wait, Eren, he has the money to do it. You know as well as me that he can always fly to Asia and have the surgery done there, with no question asked. The only thing stopping him from doing it is you. He wants you. “

“So, you want me to operate on some rich prick who is paying to skip others who can’t afford it. Others who might need the heart more than he does. “

Erwin didn’t really seem phased by the accusation. 

“That’s exactly right, “, he nodded, “Look Eren, we both know that he will get what he wants. The only question is if you are willing to swallow your morals and do it for him. I know that you don’t really need the money, but what’s wrong with getting a fatter paycheck? Plus, the hospital is always in need of something. “, he spread his arms, “Look around you. We are the best fitted medical institution in this state, how do you think we achieved that? Sometimes you just have to do what’s best for everyone. “

Eren couldn’t really argue with that logic. The money will go somewhere anyway, so what’s wrong with having them here, where they could help more people. Just don’t think about him as a man, he’s just another life to save, doesn’t matter how rich he is. He nodded. 

“I’ll do it. “

“Wonderful, “Erwin gave him a dazzling smile, the whites of his teeth shining. “I’ll contact you with the details once we settle on them. And don’t look so glum, you can buy something nice for your girlfriend. “

With a last wink, he picked up his papers again, giving him the cue to leave. Muttering a goodbye, Eren walked out, feeling like the CFO just played him like a fiddle. 

“Hey, I’m home “, he called, walking through the door and balancing the pizza boxes on top of each other.

Mikasa sprang from the couch, relieving him of his burden and tearing into it at a lighting speed. 

“Oh, this is so good, “, she exclaimed around a mouthful, “I love you Eren. “

“Just because I brought food. “, he said, doing his best to appear hurt, “My heart is bleeding “

She stood up from the table, coming back over and wrapping her arms around him, pressing a proper kiss to his mouth. 

“No, I love you because you are a wonderful and kind person, who is also not half bad in bed. “, she winked at him, sitting back down, “But the food also counts for something. “

He laughed, sitting down himself and taking a slice, content to finally enjoy some peace time. 

“So, what was the CFO meeting about? “, Mikasa asked, taking a bite, “You didn’t want to talk about it over the phone. “

“Just another surgery, this time some rich dude who skips the whole waiting list by paying. Erwin made some good points why I shouldn’t turn it down however, so I said yes in the end. “

“What kind of person is he? “

“Who? The patient? “

“No, “, she shook her head, “Erwin. “

“That’s kind of difficult question for me to answer. He is a great dude, to be sure, but he and I just don’t see the world the same way. “, reclining in his chair, he chewed on the question, trying to piece together the best possible answer. “Let me put it like this. I do what I do because I want to help people, that’s why I got into the doctor business in the first place. For him its all about money. He doesn’t really see the patients as people anymore, for him they are rows of numbers on a report. But I don’t want you to think ill of him, he is amazing in securing funding, instrumental for the hospital to do what it does. “

“He sounds interesting. “

“Sure is. “, he chuckled, “What about you, how did your day go? “

“Oh, nothing as important as meeting the CFO, to be sure. “, he groaned as she laughed, enjoying the teasing as usual.

“I went to see Annie, she is getting better really fast. We discussed the shift Levi proposed. “

“The MMA thing? “

She nodded, “Levi said that it brings in way more money and attention then the stuff we do at the moment, so it will be great to promote his gym. And I checked some stuff on the internet, seems like the only change is that I can beat people in more creative ways, and I have no problem with that. “

“You seem to be really getting along with Annie now, “, Eren noted, “What changed? I thought you hated her. “

She shrugged. “I just got to know her better, and she is not all that bad. Plus, she will be a great sparring partner once she heals fully. “

“Replacing me again? “, he caught his chest, “My heart, it’s really bursting this time. “

Laughing, she reached out to ruffle his overlong hair. “Baby, you are an amazing workout buddy, but we both know that your fighting skills are rather lacking. Doesn’t mean we will stop though, no worries. “

Eren grimaced, remembering the times he asked her not to hold back, and nursing the bruises afterwards. She packed hell of a punch, that was for sure.

“So, my fiancé will be an MMA fighter. Should I be worried that you will start beating me up? “

“Only if you deserve it “, she leaned a bit closer, whispering “Or if you ask me to do it. “

Eren swallowed, feeling his pants growing a bit tighter.

“Do you recall our discussion a few weeks back? “, she asked, running a finger down his face.

“Oh, you mean THAT one? “

When she nodded, he remembered that they didn’t really have time to realize any of those things they talked about. With the dead of the girl and the following chaos with the attempted murder and the wound on Annie, they didn’t even think about it. Mikasa now had the scar as a permanent reminder, marking her cheek just below her eye. 

“You still want to do it? “

She nodded again, eyes growing a bit darker.

“All right then, “, he said, trying to control his excitement. “It’s on. “

She smiled, looking forward to it as much as he was.

“It’s on. “


	11. Matters of heart

“Just try being on your best behavior, please. “, Erwin said, as they walked through the hospital corridors, passing the variety of nurses, doctors and patients. “I know that you don’t think very highly of the guy, but he is quite important for the rest of us. “, the CFO continued, rounding a corner.

As they neared their destination, Eren could see that even from outside you could notice the difference between a normal room and one inhabited by the man he will have on his table tomorrow. For starters, the door was flanked by two large men in dark suits, both wearing sunglasses and looking like they would rather die than let anyone uncalled for pass. Yea, like in some kind of action movie. The last person guarding the entrance was a woman, in the same dark clothes as the bodyguards, dark hair pulled into a neat bun, with a hard face and very cold eyes. 

Erwin passed him, offering his hand to the woman. “Hey there, you must be the head of the security for Mr. Tybur. My name is Erwin Smith, we talked over the phone, I am the CFO of the hospital. “

She looked him up and down, not taking the offered hand. 

“Where is the surgeon? “, she asked, her voice as cold as her eyes.

Eren stepped forward, trying his best to appear confident. “That would be me. “She approached him, gesturing for him to spread his arms and legs, and patted him down. This is ridiculous, he thought, she’s checking me for a weapon when just In a few hours I will be standing over the man with a scalpel in my hand. Yet he kept silent, not wanting to rile the woman further. Finish her search, she let him pass, but when Erwin tried to follow she stopped him with a firm palm on his chest. 

“Mr. Tybur wishes to speak to the surgeon in private. “

“Oh, “, Erwin took a step back, “I guess… I guess I’ll be going then. Good luck, Eren! “

Nodding at his boss, he stepped through the door. When Erwin first told him who the mysterious patient was, his jaw went slack. Willy Tybur was the CEO of Tybur holding, one of the largest financial moguls in the recent decade. He wasn’t just rich, he was disgustingly rich, in a way that allowed him to dip his fingers into any business he chose to. Eren had a vague memory of seeing his face on a frontpage of a few magazines, sharp dressed man with blonde hair and piercing eyes, shining with confidence.

Well, it was hard to connect that mental image to the person lying in bed in front of him. Willy looked worn, his eyes clouded, and hair mussed, but the smile he gave Eren upon entering was the practiced lip movement of someone who knew how to find his way in the world. 

“You must be Dr. Yeager, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. “

“Mr. Tybur, the pleasure is all mine, I assure you. “

“Oh please, “, the sickly man waved his arm, covering a cough with the other hand. “Stop with the pleasantries. I know what you think about me, I know a lot about you. “

“You do? “, Eren couldn’t stop an uneasy feeling spreading from his stomach upon hearing those words. What did he mean by knowing a lot about him? Was he threatening him?

“The woman you met outside, the head of my security, she is also my sister. And she takes my safety very, very seriously. So, she had you checked, even before we first contacted your boss about the surgery. I know everything about your career, starting from the first time you held a knife to the girl who died just a few weeks back. I know about the man who tried to kill you for it, wounding your friend and girlfriend. “

“You know about the girl? “, Eren asked, “But why would you ask for me then? You know I’m not that perfect as I appear to be. People died when I treated them, you might be the next. “

“I had the whole surgery checked by three independent experts, and they all said the same thing. You were not to blame, doctor. So even with a death under your belt, you are still the best surgeon there is, and I want you to replace my heart, no one else. “

Right, seems like he won’t be wiggling out of this one after all. Time to honest then.

“You want me to drop the pleasantries? I can do that. “, he set down his papers, looking straight into the bright eyes of the sick man. “I think that you jumping the queue just because you are rich is disgusting, I think that you paying your way to health while others will die instead of you is sad, and it makes me angry. And I also know that I can’t do anything about it. So, don’t worry, I might not like you as a person, but I will do my best to keep you alive. I take my medical oaths seriously, unlike some. “

Tybur nodded at that, satisfied.

“We don’t have to like each other, doctor, I am not asking you to. You want to know why I pay those outrageous money? Because I am afraid. I am scared of dying, as any other human is. So yes, ill jump the queue, ill make others suffer just so I can live. I will pay for the best heart, and the best care I can get, just because I can. And I will pay you to save me, even when you think I’m a disgusting person. Because frankly, I don’t give a shit what you think. “

Eren felt his hands curl into fists. He hated the unnatural calm of the man lying in front of him. He just called him a human thrash into his face, and he didn’t care. This was just another transaction for him, same way it was for Erwin. He will give him cash and expect to have his life saved. Because that’s how world works. Turning on his heel, he made for the exit, brushing past the guards and going for the exit. If he wants to operate on the highest capacity tomorrow, he needs some time to go home and relax.

 

Eren’s brooding thoughts got interrupted by something poking his cheek. Snapping out of it, he saw that it was his fiancé’s foot, as she poked him again, trying to break through his silence. 

“Oh, sorry, you were saying? “

Mikasa groaned, letting her leg fall back to his lap, joining the other one, where he was giving her a massage. She had a leg day today, which translated into a normal English meant tiring herself out to a point where normal mortal would pass out or die from exhaustion. He liked touching her, not only because he simply enjoyed it, but also because it gave his hands something to do while his mind wandered, thinking about the surgery tomorrow. Sliding his palms up, he found another tense muscle in her calf, and started easing it out with practiced circular motions of his fingers. She moaned, letting her head fall back on the couch, melting. Damn but it felt good.

“You were saying? “, he asked again, amused by how easily he could distract her.

“I was asking, what you are thinking about. The surgery? “

Eren nodded, intertwining his fingers with her toes and giving her foot a light squeeze. She painted her nails black, he noticed with a chuckle.

“I met the patient today, we talked. “

“What did he say? “

“Not much really, just that he doesn’t give a shit about what I think. He will pay me a giant sum of money to replace his heart, and that’s it. “

“He kind of sounds like Erwin. “, she said, stretching.

“Yea, I think that they are two of a kind. “

The silence fell again, until Mikasa pulled her legs out of his lap and crawled in instead, her thighs on the sides of his, arms circling his neck. 

“I think that you need a distraction. “, she smiled, a small seductive thing that made the fire in his stomach flare.

“I’m not sure we should. “, he replied, while his hands automatically fell down to cup her ass. “I really need to get a long sleep to be ready for tomorrow. “

“Oh? “¸she pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it somewhere in the room. Leaning close, so that her lips brushed his earlobe, she whispered: “We need to be really fast then. “

 

The piercing lights of the operating room blinded him for a moment, when he elbowed his way into it, holding his gloved hands high not to stain them. Everyone else was present already. He could see Ymir watching him from across the table, recognizing her easily even with the surgical mask covering her face. He nodded to her, coming to stand next to the patient.

“Everyone ready? “, he asked, a wave of affirming murmurs running through the room.

Right then. Looking down, he couldn’t see much of Willy. Just the small patch of exposed skin he was supposed to work on, cut it open and take out his sick heart, replacing it with a healthy one. He breathed through his nose, doing his best to clear his mind. This man lying in front of him, Eren didn’t care who he was. It didn’t matter. He was in need of help, and he will help him. He will save him. Because that’s the reason why he does what he does. Extending his hand, he felt the small handle of scalpel as nurse handed him the instrument, closing his fingers around it. Taking a deep breath, he began.

“Making the first incision… “

 

“You, my friend, are a magician, no doubt about it. “

The lights were blinding, and the sounds of the club were loud, making the simple task of understanding Erwin’s words quite hard. 

“The way you cut him up, man that was intense. In and out, fast like lightning. “, he gestured with his drink spilling a bit before draining the rest. The older man was deep in his cups already, drinking the night away at an impressive rate. Or alarming one, depends how you looked at it. Eren swirled his own drink, hardly feeling the joy his superior felt. Yes, the surgery went without a problem, he should be happy. Another life saved by his hands, and one that will mean a lot of funding coming through for the hospital. Yet he felt rather empty, his mind simply refusing to let go the moment Tybur told him about the way he saw the world. Money, that’s what’s important, isn’t it? Taking a sip, he did his best to relax, to let it go, but he just couldn’t do it. Yea, this is not going to cut it. 

“Its pretty late, ill head home. “, he said, standing up.

Erwin looked at him, head swaying a bit, before nodding.

“You have a good one, you deserve it. “, saluting him with his glass, he tried drinking from it before realizing its empty, frowning. 

“Ill see you Monday Erwin, Take care. “, and with that, Eren left the club, the thoughts in his head still swirling wildly.

 

The living room was dark when he arrived. Well, it was kind of late, so he wasn’t really surprised that Mikasa was asleep already, but it still made him a bit sad. He really wanted to talk to her, about anything, it calmed his mind like nothing else. Putting his coat on a rack, he walked to the couch, unbuttoning his shirt, when something caught his attention. Two objects were lying on the piece of furniture. A piece of paper, and the collar they used when they were playing with each other. His breath quickening, he bent to retrieve the note, unfolding it. 

Eren, I noticed that you are growing more and more concerned about the surgery, about the whole thing with a rich prick pulling your strings, well, basically about everything. And I don’t want you drifting away from me, we can’t have that, now can we? So why don’t you get changed for me and come upstairs, some discipline will do you good.

The note wasn’t signed, but in the corner, there was a lipstick print, black as her nails, as he recalled. Like he is ever going to say no to an invitation like this. Stripping at a lighting speed, he felt the tension leaving his body with every piece of clothing dropped. Yes, this is exactly what he needed right now. Just clear his mind, and let someone else take control of him, sink into that space where he just followed her orders, not having to decide anything for himself. The collar felt familiar around his neck, the gentle hug of leather, yet firm enough to remind him of his role in the upcoming play. Once he was ready, he walked upstairs, silently opening the door to their bedroom, anticipation rising. 

Mikasa was sitting in one of the new bedroom chairs, a large black leather thing, a recent addition to their inventory. He kept his eyes on the floor as he walked to her, kneeling at her feet, remembering the posture she wanted him to keep. Back straight, head bowed, hands clasped behind his back. All he could see from her were the tips of her shiny black heels, black painted toes peeking from them. It only reminded him how much he wanted to run his tongue over them again.

“I’m ready, mistress. “

“What a good pet you are Eren. “, she reached out, ruffling his hair.

“Then let’s begin, shall we? “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried double spacing the time-shifts in this chapter, is it actually easier to read, or worse?  
> Till next time!


	12. The ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this sudden urge to write something explicit,so i did.  
> 

“So, let me get this straight. “, Mikasa called from the bathroom, fixing her hair. “The man that you saved, the same one that basically told you that he didn’t care what you thought, since you are so low beneath his notice, is now inviting us to go dancing? “

“Its not dancing, “, Eren called back, frowning at his reflection the mirror, “It’s a ball, more of a social occasion. The dancing is secondary. “ 

And optional I hope, he thought to himself. He may be a man of many talents but swaying on the dancefloor wasn’t one of them. Sighing, he turned a bit, watching the black jacket of his suit crumple on his back. God damn it, he hated formal occasions. The pomp and fake smiles were pissing him off. Luckily Mikasa also wasn’t one for those types of occasion, so he could usually talk his way out of most invitations they received. But when one of the richest men in the states decides to include you in his very limited list of guests, you attend, there really is no way out. Especially when Erwin caught wind of the occasion. 

“What do you mean you won’t go? “, the CFO almost literally exploded, face red, eyes popping from their sockets.

Eren shrunk in his chair a bit. “Well I mean, the man doesn’t like me, he said so himself. This is probably just a necessity from his part, I mean I literally held his life in my hands. “

“One of the most powerful men in the computing industry invites you to his private celebration, and you plan not to attend. “, Erwin pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to control his breathing. “I don’t even want to imagine what sort of incredibly important occasion you have planned, but I would strongly, very strongly recommend that you reconsider your decision. “, he looked up, his eyes cool once more, feelings under control. “You don’t represent only yourself Eren, you represent the whole hospital. And I don’t have to tell you what having a connection with someone like Willy Tybur could mean for us. For the patients. “

As usual, Erwin got what he wanted in the end. Which meant getting dressed in a black suit he didn’t wear for… well since his graduation really. At least it was still pretty good fit, a bit tight over the shoulders and chest, he noticed with a feeling of pride. Seems like the workouts with Mikasa were paying off after all. Talking about his fiancé, she actually seemed pretty excited by the invitation, unlike him. Guess we don’t really go to parties like this very often, he thought with a snort. Parties where one bottle of the wine they drink cost more than a small car. As on a cue, he heard the clicking of her shoes as she walked from the bathroom, ready to go. Turning, he felt his breath hitch in his throat. Mikasa always took his breath away, no matter what she had on her, but tonight was special even for someone like her. She wore a sleeveless red dress, matching her bright lipstick, a tiny bit of makeup spread on her face, delicate black heels on her feet with straps hugging her legs to about a half of her calves. In one word, she looked beautiful, absolutely stunning. Noticing his expression, her lips curled into a smile.

“I take it that I don’t look fat in the dress? “

He snorted. “That’s a weak way of saying it, but yeah. I think that I don’t have to put on any clothes at all, no one will pay attention to me with you by my side anyway. “He stepped closer, running a hand through her hair. “What’s with the red thought? I thought that you were into the dark and mysterious vibe. “

It was the truth, Mikasa liked painting her lips and nails black, wearing dark clothing and heavy necklaces. She called the style goth, and frankly, he thought that it suited her. To be honest, he always thought that she looked amazing, so he might be a little bit biased.

“You can’t just stick to one color your whole life Eren, that would be boring. “, she chided him, shaking her head. “All right, can we go then? Or do you plan to spend the rest of the evening looking at me. “

“Both actually, “, he smirked, “We don’t drive, a car is taking us. And we are staying overnight there, so we can both get drunk. “

“An actual chauffeur, hm? “, she laughed, “Abusing the resources of poor Mr. Tybur already? “

Just as he was about to reply, the doorbell rang, announcing that their ride was here. With a last wink, she brushed past him, heading down the stairs. He followed, cursing the damn tightness of the suit pants already. 

 

The car was big and black, that’s about all Eren noticed, as it carried them swiftly and silently through the countryside, the driver quickly getting them out of the city and towards their destination. Watching the trees pass by the window, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in his stomach, that the invitation from Tybur had some ulterior motive. Glancing back into the car, he saw Mikasa next to him, looking just glorious. Yeah, anything Willy has planned, it was worth it as long as he saw her looking like this. Passing through a large metal gate, they saw the estate in the distance, a massive building, looking old but in great condition, somehow managing to give away the feeling of being extraordinarily expensive. The vehicle stopped, the waiting valet in a crisp black tuxedo opening the car door. Eren stepped out, remembering his manners in the last second and turning to offer his hand to Mikasa, who took it biting back a smile. Yeah, they were certainly new to this.

The insides of the manor were, for a lack of better word, grand. The huge room was filled with people in expensive looking dresses and suits, a small army of servants amongst them carrying trays of glasses and food, masterfully navigating in the sea of bodies. As usual at events with a big amount of people attending, there were groups, the guests getting together with those they wanted to talk with, creating small islands. Holding Mikasa’s hand in his, he realized their problem. They didn’t know anyone here. Just as he was about to slightly panic, he felt a pull on his arm as she steered them towards the table, her eyes already sliding over the treats laid there. 

“Did you come here just to eat? “, he asked, smiling.

Reaching out and picking out something that looked like a shrimp, she inspected it for a moment before stuffing it into her mouth. “You would be stupid if you didn’t take advantage of something like this “, she said, chewing. A look of total bliss spread on her face. “This is so good, Eren, you have to try it. “

You can always rely on Mikasa to find something fun to do, even in a place like this. Following her example, he started picking out the pieces he liked the most. They spent the next hour or so around the table, tasting different pieces, laughing when the other one picked something that tasted bad, completely ignoring the gathering around them. With her, it just didn’t matter where he was, she could always make him relax, make him laugh. He was so lucky to have her. As she was about to taste a suspiciously looking tiny fish, a clear voice rang through the hall. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, please clear the dance floor, and those willing to participate please take your positions. The music will commence soon. “

A quick flow of people happened, and soon about half of the room was filled with couples, ready to dance. A music band neither of the two noticed before started a slow tune, making the attendees move in a slow and intimate fashion. Those not taking part watched in silence, including Eren and Mikasa. It wasn’t long however, before he felt her lips brush his ear as she whispered in his ear. “We should try it. “

“Try what? “, he said back, having a very bad feeling about this.

“The dancing! “, she said, her eyes shining bright. 

He grimaced. “Mikasa, sweetie, I’m sorry, but I can’t dance. Like at all. “

“I’ll lead, “, she said grabbing his hand and pulling him behind her. He followed, both not able and wanting to resist her. “Just don’t step on my toes. “

They found a place on the floor, and she turned to him with a smile. Stealing a quick look on the others, he mimicked the way the men held the ladies, putting one hand on her hip and taking the other one in his, extending his arm a bit. 

“You ready? “, he asked with a dry throat. 

Instead of answering, she started moving, her movements as graceful as ever. Somehow, she managed to almost perfectly copy the way the others did it, her natural grace and great agility guiding her. He did his best to follow, only stepping on her toes once, doing his best to match her rhythm. Just as he was getting it, the song changed, and she switched the hold of their hands, the dance becoming quicker, more free. Just as he was about to curse his luck, she pressed herself against him, her body molding into his in all the right places. Quickly as she did it, she took a step back, a mischievous smile on her lips. Dumbfounded, he followed her movements, but before he could ask what was happening, she twirled, her ass brushing against his crotch in just the right way. He gasped, throwing an accusing glance at her, but she just chuckled. A second later, her leg somehow pressed between his legs again, making him shiver. Oh, so this was she was doing. Teasing him was one of her favorite games, but he never guessed that she would do it in public places, especially one like this. Then again, you never could be sure with Mikasa. 

The slow torture of her movements somehow brushing or pressing against him in very intimate places of his body bore fruit rather quickly, and Eren felt his pants tightening, his cheeks boiling red. Luckily for him, he was saved by a sound of a woman clearing her throat. Turning around, he saw that it was Tybur’s sister, the head of his security. Even on an occasion like this, she still wore the same dark suit, her expression neutral.

“Mr. Tybur wishes to speak to you, Dr. Yeager. “

“Uhm, “, he turned back to Mikasa, who watched him with a spark in her eyes. She seemed to be really enjoying this. “You going to be okay? “

She nodded, giving him a peck on the cheek and making her way back to the table, seemingly intent on tasting some new and very expensive treats. Eren followed the dark clothed woman instead, their footsteps echoing in the corridor. Coming to a huge wooden door, she gestured to them with a jerk of her head.

“Mr. Tybur is inside. “

Eren spread his arms, smiling. “What? Not going to pat me down this time? “

There wasn’t a glint of laugh in her eyes. “No. “

“Right…“, to cut his embarrassment short, he entered, forgetting to knock. 

Willy Tybur was standing in front of a large window, watching the dark sky outside. He turned when he heard the door open, a smile that seemed genuine spreading on his face.

“Eren! Can I call you Eren? “, the younger man nodded, confused by how cheery his voice sounded. “I’m so happy that you came! Sit please, can I get you something to drink? “

“Ehm… OK? I-I mean sure, I would like a drink. “, he sat down to the leather chair, wondering what the hell this was about.

Willy pulled out a bottle, pouring two generous glasses and handing him one, sitting down himself and taking a sip. Following his example, Eren took a swig, the alcohol slipping into his throat, leaving a trace of honey behind. Damn, it was pretty good. He took another sip, rolling it around in his mouth, waiting for Willy to speak. 

“You most likely wonder why I invited you in the first place, “, Willy laced his fingers together, leaning back in his chair. Eren nodded. “Thing is, we have started with a wrong foot. I misjudged you, and I regret it, I wish we could start over. “ 

“I-I don’t understand. “, Eren was damn confused. This wasn’t like Willy at all. Apologizing? Wanting to start over?

Tybur stood with a sigh, turning back to the window. “I understand that you are surprised, but I am being honest. My recent…illness, it changed the way I look at things. “, his gaze focused on the moon, hanging above the manor. “I never felt more vulnerable in my life, I was scared, terrified even. I had all the money in the world, but it didn’t mean a thing. What good would cash be to me if I died? “. He turned back, his eyes meeting Eren’s. “I lashed out at you, because I thought that I will die, that you won’t be able to help me. But I made a mistake. You did what you do, you saved my life, and I will be forever in your debt doctor. “He extended his glass. “To a new friendship? “

Eren nodded, not able to find the words to describe the situation. They both drank, the warm feeling spreading through his body. 

“I won’t take any more of your time Eren, I know that you want to go back to your fiancé. “Willy said, smiling. Just as Eren was about to open the door however, he said: “Oh, one last thing. I have contacted your mother, and I fully intend to support the charity she runs in your father’s name. “He sighed. “I think that he would be very proud of you. “

With the last nod of his head, Eren left. 

He found Mikasa exactly as he left her, prowling around the table. Wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, he pressed a kiss to her neck, smiling. 

“Something edible left? “

“Not really. “, she said, running her hands over his. “Maybe we could get out of here? “

The suggestion sparkled a fire in his stomach, the one that was there ever since she started touching him back on the dancefloor. 

“Yeah, “, he said, his voice hoarse, “Id like that. “

 

The servant who showed them in their room for the night left with a flourished bow, making Mikasa giggle. The suite was huge, a sitting room and a bedroom with a joined bathroom, everything solely for their use. There was an ice bucket on the table, chilling a bottle of champagne, a bowl of fruit next to it. Eren realized that he didn’t really care for any of that. Right now, there was a different kind of treat he craved. 

“Well, its big. “, he heard Mikasa say, the sound of her heels muffled by the luxurious carpet. She made her way to him, wrapping her hands around his neck. “But what are we going to do in it the whole night? “

“Well, “he said, hands sliding down to her ass, “someone teased me mercilessly in front of a lot of people, so I might have an idea. “he gave her a light squeeze “I think that the culprit must be punished. Don’t you think? “

Eren let the question hang in the air, letting her decide if she is in the mood to play tonight. Knowing Mikasa, he wasn’t half surprised at her eyes darkening, a shiver running through her body.

“I think that you are right. She needs to be punished, and hard. Very hard. “

Well, he had no complaints.

“If you agree, then I think that you should turn around. “

Obedient, she turned, presenting her back to him. He reached up, grabbing and pulling down her zipper, parting the dress and letting more of her pale skin fade into view. 

“Get out of the dress for me, will you? “

She wiggled her hips, seductively enough to make him growl, and the cloth fell from her shoulders and pooled around her feet. Stepping out of it, she turned back, her gaze expectant. He took a minute to just look at her, the black lace of her underwear standing out against her skin, the flame in his stomach flaring. Sucking in a breath, he reached out, cupping one of her breasts, feeling the nipple harden under his touch. 

“You are still too clothed for your punishment. Strip. “

She followed his order without hesitation, unclasping her bra and letting it fall to the floor, before pulling down her panties and kicking them somewhere in the room. He let his gaze follow the long line of her legs, settling on her feet. He recognized those heels. The last time he submitted to her, she made him open the delicate little buckles of those shoes with his mouth, after properly worshipping them first, of course. 

“Why don’t you take of your shoes and come to me, pretty little thing. “

She turned and bent over, giving him the perfect view of her ass while she worked the clasps open. The first heel soon fell on the floor, followed by the second one. Now completely naked, she turned and walked to him, anticipation in her every step. He kissed her then, roughly, forcing his way into her mouth and claiming it with his tongue. She groaned into the kiss, giving him the control, her body shivering. They broke, and he took a step back, breathing hard. 

“Go to the bed, now. “

She moved quickly, reaching the massive piece of furniture, standing in front of it. She heard him move behind her, but no touch came, only an order. “Put your hands on the mattress and bend over. “She complied, now finally feeling his hands glide up her thigs to her ass, giving it a light smack. “Do you want to be punished? “, he asked, slapping her again, this time harder.

“Yes! “, she gasped, feeling the liquid heat pooling in her stomach. She needed this, and she needed it now. Hearing a click of metal as he unbuckled his belt, she bit her bottom lip, hoping that he wont hold back. “Spread your legs. “, he said gruffly. As soon as she obeyed, the belt smacked her ass, hard enough to make her cry out. “You think you can just tease me whole night, and get away with it? “Another smack, another cry. “You have no idea how hard it was for me, holding myself back. “Another smack and another. The third one made her push her head into the mattress to muffle her cries. He was rough, each hit stung like a devil. She loved it. She loved it so fucking much.

The beating continued, a hit after hit, at a steady rhythm. Mikasa sobbed into the bedding, fisted her hands in it, tears of pain mixing with those of pleasure as she danced on her toes, absorbing the lashes. Yet there were limits to what her body could take. 

“Scarf! “, she cried out her safeword like a lifeline, immediately hearing the clink of the belt being dropped. Eren’s hands caressed the beaten skin, gentle, as his mouth brushed her ear when he leaned over her. 

“Are you ok baby? Was it too much? “

She shook her head, weakly “I’m fine, I just need a moment. “, she took a shuddering breath, feeling like her backside was on fire. 

She felt him plant a soft kiss to her neck. “Wait here, I have an idea. “, he said, and he was gone, his footsteps going away from her only to return a moment later. Suddenly, something very cold touched her ass and she yelped, jumping in surprise. “It’s just the ice “, he said laughing, circling the cube slowly over the abused area. She hummed in appreciation, the cool sensation helping the pain a lot. “Now don’t fall asleep on me. “he said, leaning over to suck on her neck. “Your punishment is not over. “

She groaned, not wanting it to be over. Sure, she got beaten very nicely, but it only fired up the want in her, the lust smoldering in the pit of her stomach. Mikasa felt the ice disappear from her ass, whining a bit at the loss. “Get on the bed, “he whispered in her ear. Obedient as ever, she climbed in, watching him strip and follow her, pressing her body down and kissing her again. She could feel that he wanted her, his hardness pressing into her stomach. Instead of following his desire, Eren slipped two fingers into her, finding her as hot and wet as he imagined she would be. Brushing his thumb against her swollen clit, she cried out, bucking against his hand craving more.

“Please “, she whispered, not even realizing that she spoke, her more primal instincts taking over.

“Please what? “, he whispered back, enjoying the way she arched against him, desperate. 

“Please fuck me. “she almost whined the words, only just remembering to add: “Sir. “ 

He grinned, “Well if you put it like this. “Pulling out his fingers, he thrust into her in a one and powerful move, filling her. Her fingers clutched at his back, moans loud and echoing from the walls of the vast room. His hips picked up the rhythm, unhurried but steady, pushing in and out with the sound of skin slapping against skin. He kissed her, biting into her bottom lip, another whine ripping from her throat. “Please sir, “, she choked out, “harder! “Biting into her neck, he slipped a hand under her waist, angling her hips so he could fuck her better, driving into her with more force. 

“Yes! Yes! Just like that! “, her eyes rolled back in her head, head of his member hitting that deep spot inside her just right. Feeling himself growing close from the tightness and the heat enveloping him, he sneaked his fingers around her hip, easily finding her bundle of nerves, having touched it uncountable times already, and pressed two fingers to it, rubbing it in tiny rapid circles. The words in her throat melted into a singular pleasured scream, as stars exploded behind her eyes and she came, hard, clenching around his length. He followed her with a grunt, emptying himself into her, the muscles in his stomach pulling tight. Eren continued thrusting even as they both peaked, prolonging the feeling and sending waves of pleasure through her whole body. Finally running out of energy, he slipped out, falling on his back next to her with a grunt. 

“You liked that? “, he asked exhausted, but so fucking happy.

She smiled back, the look on her face one of complete satisfaction. “I loved it. “

Eren pulled her close, letting her bury her head in his chest, stroking her back.

“We should probably shower. “, he said, but didn’t really want to leave the warm embrace.

“In the morning. “, she pulled the comforter over them both, snuggling a bit closer. Inhaling the scent of her hair, he decided that showering in the morning won’t hurt. And if the mood hits, they might even do a bit more then just shower. Eren fell asleep imagining the welts she will have on her ass in the morning, chuckling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently started reading more fanfiction again, and boy does it fill your head to the brim with ideas.  
> So many stories, so little time.  
> Till next time!


	13. The morning sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filling the prompt of Annie and Armin having their first time together AND managing to fit it into the main storyline?   
> Yep, somehow i managed to make it work.
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

The morning was lazy, spent by Eren laughing at the markings on her ass, getting smacked for it, and a long shower, relaxing muscles and soothing the sting from previous night. Willy Tybur bid them farewell, standing in front of the door in a perfectly fitted suit, leaning on a cane topped with a huge diamond, his sister right next to him, vigilant as ever. The blonde man shared a few words with Eren, shaking his hand, before turning to Mikasa with a smile. 

“I hope you enjoyed your stay, Miss Ackerman. “

“Oh yes, very much. “, she blushed a bit, surprised by the friendly tone of his. He definitely didn’t look like the money obsessed mogul Eren described. “The room was amazing, thank you. “

Saying their goodbyes, they once again entered the black car with a silent driver, and began their journey back home, with Mikasa wincing a bit every time the car rode over a bump. To take her mind off the ache, she asked Eren about Willy, and he told her about their conversation yesterday.

“I don’t know If I can really trust him, but he seemed genuine. “, he chuckled, rubbing her thigh, “I never was good at reading people, that’s Armin’s specialty. “

“Armin is taking care of Annie, right? “, she asked, “I wonder what they are up to. “

 

She was leaning on him a bit more than she needed, but he definitely wasn’t one to complain. Their walk was unhurried, with nowhere to be they could just take it slow, breathing in the chilly morning air and enjoying the view. Armin kept stealing glances at his companion, marveling at the way the sunlight bounced off her hair, making her seemingly glow. Damn, she was pretty. Just as he was about to take another peek, he felt her pulling on his arm a bit, getting his attention.

“Something wrong Annie? “

She grimaced a bit. “I think that we should get back, the wound is starting to ache. “

They made their way back to her house, passing other people, the city slowly waking up. Armin wasn’t surprised. He usually didn’t get out of bed before noon on weekends. But when Annie called him to ask if he wants to go out, he was by her house in just about five minutes. There were offers that you just didn’t refuse, and this was one of them for sure. When they reached her home, he started thinking about how to say his goodbye, but she only tightened her hold on his arm, pulling him through the door. Well, she probably needs help up the stairs, he thought to himself, it was just a few weeks since she got shot anyway. Yet when they reached her room, he found himself shoved on her bed, with Annie casually pulling her shirt over her head and throwing it away. Second later, she was on top of him, and their lips crashed together, teeth clacking. He found himself getting overwhelmed, her arms pinning him down with strength that he thought wasn’t really supposed to be there in something as intimate as this. 

“A-Annie, Annie, wait. “, he managed to choke out, even when his body was screaming at him what the hell was he doing. 

She stopped and pulled back, face flushed, the blonde hair disheveled around her head. But looking closer, Armin could see that something was amiss. Her whole body was tense, her hands gripping his wrists were white-knuckled, her nails digging into his skin almost painfully. “Annie, what are you doing? “, he asked, confused. She looked like she is terrified of something, and that was hardly something he wanted. 

“What does it look like I’m doing? “, she asked, trying to brush it off. She lunged for another kiss, but he dodged her, tilting his head away. She groaned in frustration, letting go of him and fell back, sitting next to him on the bed and letting her face fall into her hands. “I-I’m sorry, I fucked it up again. “

Armin sat up, carefully wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He was right, he could feel the tension in her muscles through the skin. He started rubbing small circles on her back, hoping to calm her down. “Annie, come on, talk to me. What’s wrong? “She looked up, and he could see the tears in her eyes she was trying to desperately hold back. 

“Armin, I’m just not good at this, any of this. I don’t know what to do. “

“Do what? 

She blushed, suddenly not able to look him in the eye. “A-Any of this. I never had a boyfriend before, I-I never e-even kissed a guy before you. “, she seemed to be getting more determined, yet her body was still shaking lightly. “I want to…do this with you, but I just don’t know how. I’m scared that ill screw it somehow. “He understood. Annie was a perfectionist, she wanted to be good at everything she did. But this, this was something she had no experience in, something she never did before, and it scared her. 

“Hey, hey its fine. “, Armin was a bit surprised to find out that Annie was still a virgin, but hey, if he didn’t know Eren and Mikasa he would never believe that they were each other’s first and only. Well since Annie trusted him with such an information, he couldn’t really lie to her either. “I-I’m new to this too. “

“Wait what? “, her eyes went a bit wide with surprise, “B-But you dated girls, Eren said… “

“Yea I dated a few, or they dated me to be more accurate. “, he chuckled nervously, running a hand through his hair. “The relationships weren’t really normal, I was more like a decoration for them. They paraded me around a bit, took some photos, and left me. “Somehow, he didn’t feel awkward, even when he was telling her all this. “They just thought I’m cute, they never intended to be serious about me. “

“Well, they were right about one thing, “she said, slowly reaching out and putting a hand on his cheek. “You are pretty cute. “

He chuckled and came closer, kissing her gently, just a little peck compared to the wild tongue wrestling they engaged in earlier. “Lets just, take it slow. “, he said when they separated. She smiled at him, nodding eagerly. 

They resumed the kiss, and he pushed her down, covering her body with his. She tugged at his shirt, and he got the message, removing it, equalizing the playing field. He moved his lips down soon, wanting to taste more of her skin. It was really intoxicating, touching her like this, seeing her face completely red and flustered. Before he could even reach her chest, she acted, swiftly removing her bra and grabbing one of his hands, putting it on top of her breast. Annie might be unexperienced, but when she was doing something that she liked, she wanted more of it. He squeezed it experimentally, surprised how soft this part of her body was compared to the rest. Closing her eyes, she let a tiny moan fall from her lips, letting him know that he was doing a good job. Emboldened by her reaction, he put his other hand on the other breast, mirroring his movements. 

Yet as much as he was enjoying himself massaging her chest, Annie was not so easily satisfied. She sat up, throwing him off her, and started unbuttoning her pants. Gulping down a breath, he started working on his own, willing his hands to stop shaking. While she seemed to be growing more and more confident, he was exactly the opposite. The further they went, the more nervous he felt. This was actually happening, right here and now. He just couldn’t believe it. 

Looking up, he saw that she was already naked, laying on the bed, watching him with half-lidded eyes. Finally managing to wrestle his pants open, he shoved them down his legs along his underwear, face immediately warming up when he realized how openly she could see his arousal now. But Annie didn’t laugh. She reached out, running an experimental hand over him, making him shiver. How could another person’s touch feel so much better than his own? Not willing to be bested so easily, he pushed forward, once again resuming his position over her, and traced his hand down her belly, brushing past the patch of blonde hair between her legs and pressed his finger into her, making her whimper. Watching her face, he couldn’t help but feel his own pleasure rising, he never saw anyone looking like this before. Trying to make her feel even better, he pushed in another one, stretching her more open. The moans were louder now, fueling his desire to please her even more. 

“A-Armin, I think I’m ready. “, she looked at him, nodding as if to reassure herself. “I’m ready. “

He swallowed, nodding back. Honestly, he couldn’t tell. She was pretty wet, he could feel that, but he had no idea if it was enough or not. Sitting back on his knees, he realized that there is a last barrier between them, or rather lack of one. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he realized that he had no protection, and somehow doubted that Annie was on the pill. Just as he was about to tell her, he saw her rummaging through her bedside drawer, pulling out an unopened box of condoms. Flipping the lid, she tore one of the packages open with a show of inhuman strength, frowning at the rubber. Before he could offer his help, she crawled closer to him, rolling it down his length with agile fingers. Satisfied with her work, she leaned back, falling on the pillows and looked up, waiting for him. Sucking in a breath, he followed, kissing her to keep his lips from trembling. He wanted this, wanted her, but his nerves just seem to be getting better of him. Luckily, he had no problems keeping hard, that would be awkward. 

“You, You sure? “, he asked, licking his lips.

She nodded, wrapping her legs around his body, pulling him closer. Wiggling her hips into his, she reached down, guiding him while he pushed in, muffling a groan with another kiss. She was so tight, it was driving him crazy. She gasped when he continued his advance, her face twisting a bit. Armin suddenly remembered that first time was supposed to hurt for a girl, but before he could ask her what to do, her legs pressed into his backside, not really giving him a choice. Following her wish, he continued until he bottomed out, stilling himself. The silence continued, until he felt her lips brush his ear as she whispered a single word to him. “Move. “  
And he moved. Pulling back before snapping back in, his nerve problem completely melted away, he kissed her again, the feeling being out of this world. She wasn’t just lying there, that was not Annie’s style. He felt her legs drawing in him with every thrust, her hips ving up against his, syncing with his thrusts. They both grew louder as they continued, any sort of control escaping both of their bodies. Armin felt a tension build in his stomach, a pressure behind his eyes, something that he never felt before. Just as he was about to ask if she was close, fearing to leave her hanging, she let out an extraordinary loud moan, her insides tightening around him even more. He couldn’t resist that. He came with a last thrust, burying himself deep and hiding his face between her breasts, breathing hard, his vision blurring out. 

Arming was coaxed back into consciousness by fingers threading through his hair. Looking up, he saw Annie watching him with a smile on her lips, her face seemingly glowing in the morning sun. Deciding that now was not the time to talk, he kissed her again, letting his actions speak for him for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this done, i have just one last prompt to do.   
> So.... if you have a good idea that you want written by me, you know what to do! :D  
> Till next time!


	14. Going down the back alley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally honoring the deal they made a few chapters back, it’s time for the first part of the ass adventures.  
> Gotta earn the E rating somehow. :D
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

Even as excited as he was, Eren felt compelled to ask her one more time. “Are you really sure about this? “

“Yes, “, Mikasa rolled her eyes at him, “I don’t know why you are making such a big deal out of it. It’s not our first rodeo anyway. “

“Well if you are sure, “, he said, “I believe that it’s time for you to take your leave then. “

She smiled at him, standing up. “Of course. “, In the middle of the stairs, she only turned around to add “Master. “, before disappearing through the bedroom door. Eren reclined in the chair, letting out a groan. Damnit, it was actually happening. The thing they talked about so long ago, before all this nonsense with getting shot at and Tybur’s surgery. But the time was finally here, and he fully intended to enjoy it as much as possible. Deciding that she had enough time to prepare, he stood up and made to follow her, only to stop. Looking down, he saw that he was still wearing his home t-shirt, which had some old band picture on it. Yea, that didn’t really fit the mood. Making a quick decision, he shrugged the shirt over his head and threw it away. Satisfied, he made his way up the stairs, feeling the anticipation rising in his stomach.

Mikasa followed his instructions to the letter. Ok, maybe he just copied the orders that she gave him, but hey, seeing her kneeling with her hands behind her back, wearing nothing but a leather collar was so damn worth it. He came closer to her, dragging a hand through her hair, feeling the silky strands pass his fingers.

“You will be a good girl for me, won’t you? “

She remained silent, only nodded, obedient as ever when she played the bottom.

“I have a few surprises for you, you want to see them? “

Mikasa nodded again, and he could see they way she rubbed her thighs together. Clearly, he wasn’t the only one excited. Retrieving few objects of interest from the cabinet, he came behind her and crouched, taking one of her wrists and putting the leather cuff on it. He repeated the process with the other before locking them together. Afterwards, he used the leather strap he brought and connected her wrists with her collar, locking them in place. It forced her to bring her arms up a bit, not uncomfortably, but high enough for her to feel it. Done with her backside, for now, he circled her coming up in the front.

“You see these? “, he said, showing her the nipple clamps. Her eyes widened a bit, looking at the tiny jaws, but she didn’t seem afraid of them. “You want me to put these on you? “, with a nod from her, he grinned and reached out, taking one of her breast into his hand and rolling his thumb around her nipple. Once it hardened from arousal, he put the tiny toy to work, letting it close around the bud. Mikasa let out a breathy moan, and her whole body shivered. Well, she seemed to be enjoying it so far. Repeating the process with the other one, Eren stood up, once again running his fingers through her hair, grinning to himself. 

“Do you like your new toys? Speak this time please. “

“Y-Yes, master, thank you. “

“Would you like to thank me in a more, hmmm, physical way? “

She looked up, her eyes darkened. “I would, master. “

With a quick flick of his wrist, Eren unzipped his fly, letting his arousal show. “Open. “, he commanded. Mikasa followed his wish immediately, letting her mouth drop open and sticking out her tongue. He pushed his hips forward, groaning as he felt her mouth envelop his hardness. She was never one to be passive in sex though and started moving even before he gave her the order to do so. Eren gathered her hair in his fist, pulling it from her face so he could see her, but didn’t even try to take the lead of the act. He knew that she hated it. Instead, he closed his eyes and let his head fall backwards, letting himself fully feel the way her mouth and tongue worked him. After the years spent together, they both knew how to please each other, and she was making full use of it. Focusing on the head and the underside of him, the most sensitive parts, she effortlessly started pulling moans from him, as he felt the pressure building up in his abdomen. The whole point of this was to get himself to cum fast, so he can make her enjoy a very long and intense foreplay, without him getting too excited and cutting it early. So instead of stopping her, he let her work him up all the way, coming inside her mouth with a groan. 

“O-Okay, stop. “, she let him go with a pop, sitting back on her heels, waiting for his next instructions. He took a deep breath, steadying himself and willing his knees to stop feeling so weak. He pulled her to her feet by the thin chain connecting her nipple clamps, making her hiss as she stood up. Guiding her by the metal string, he led them to the bed, turning her to face it, standing behind her. Eren kissed a trail from her shoulder to her neck and back, letting his hand crawl slowly down over her stomach, tracing the outlines of her abs with a tip of his finger. Dropping his hand even lower, he brushed it past the neatly trimmed little stripe of hair, feeling how hot and wet she was already. Eren grinned into her hair, this was only the beginning.

“So worked up already? Well, it’s way too early for that. “

He let go of her, grabbing her by the back of her neck and pushing her face down to the bedding, bending her whole body over. He pushed her legs apart with his other hand, taking a step back to admire her from behind. Mikasa really did have a glorious ass. But it was not the time to claim that, not yet. Letting her wait like this, he retrieved a few more items from the drawer, coming back to her. Once again crouching behind her, he fixed another pair of cuffs on her ankles, before connecting the spreader bar to them. It was adjustable, and he made sure she would be still able to walk, albeit awkwardly, but it also kept her legs apart exactly as he wanted. Standing up, he couldn’t resist giving her ass a light smack, before taking the last item and circling the bed so she could see him. 

“I want to put this, “he held up the butt plug, “into you. That okay with you princess? “

Mikasa swallowed rather noisily, eyeing the toy with suspicious eye, but she knew that if they wanted to complete what they set to do tonight, it would be better to accept. Uttering her agreement, she watched him stand up again and disappear from her sight, once again taking his position behind her. Eren lubed up his fingers, coating them in the pre-warmed liquid before sliding the tips between her ass cheeks, finding the tiny opening there and massaging it. Mikasa’s whole body shuddered as he pushed the tip of his finger in. The intrusion was alien, something they never done before, but not unwelcome. Eren worked his digit around, pushing it to the sides, turning his hand, making her soften up before he pushed in another one. It’s tight, so tight that it made him wonder if he will actually be able to get his dick in after all, but he had a whole night to loosen her up. Scissoring his fingers, he felt her push back into his hand, a sound close to a purr rumbling through her body. It worked, and her muscles slowly gave in. Once he thought that she was ready, he pulled them out, coating the plug with the lube, and sliding it in instead of his hand. It went in much easier, and Mikasa let out a loud moan as he pushed it inside, clearly enjoying the game so far. Seeing her bent over like this, moaning and shivering, he had to hold himself back from just taking her here and there, all the plans be damned. Gritting his teeth, he took a step back and breathed, calming himself. Time to move on. 

Eren pulled her back into standing position by the collar, and she let out another moan as it made the plug shift inside her. Pulling her behind himself, the spreader bar between her ankles making the walk rather awkward, he guided them to the hook in the ceiling. He undid the fastenings that held her wrists, pulling them to her front and connecting them with a length of a chain before snapping it into place on the ceiling, forcing her to raise her arms. Retrieving his riding crop, he came close to her again, licking his lips.

“You really didn’t do anything wrong princess, but I really want to smack your ass a bit. Watching it turn from pale to red is my favorite change of a color. “

“I-I don’t mind being punished by you master, if you think I deserve it. “, she said, her breathing labored already.

Eren nodded, letting the crop land on her right ass cheek with a smack. Mikasa rocked in her bonds a bit, taking in the force of the blow. Circling her body, he let it fall again, and then again on her front, hitting her abdomen. Seeing her shudder under the hits, he decided that now was the time for his last surprise. Once again making the trip to the drawer, he pulled out two last toys he prepared, smirking.

“To think I’ve forgotten to take care of your front, princess, “he said, fastening a leather strap to her upper thigh, “It’s time to fix that. “

Grabbing the toy from the floor, he lifted it to her eyes. It was a magic wand, a recent purchase of his, one that he didn’t let her see before today. 

“This, “he said darkly, “This will make you scream. “

With deft fingers, he pushed the tip of it between her wet folds and secured it with the strap to her thigh, before turning it on with a very satisfying click. As it started vibrating, Mikasa let out a high-pitched whine, throwing her head back. 

“Noisy are we, “, Eren smirked, standing up and pulling the ball gag from his pocket. “I don’t like that princess, give me your mouth. “

Seconds later, she was silent again, the rubber ball muffling her, and he was left to continue his work undisturbed. Dragging the top of his instrument upwards, he let it brush against her chained nipples, giving them a light smack, before turning up the heat. He hit her again and again, distributing the blows all over her body, not letting any part of it going unchecked. He lightened the blows when he hit her nipples, breasts and her mound, not wanting to hurt her, but let the full force fall on her ass, coloring it red. Mikasa was grateful for the gag right now, because the exquisite torture her fiancé was administrating on her was truly making her lose it. The vibrations coming from the wand, combined with the bite of the clamps and the feel of the plug deep inside her were a combination that was working her up beyond her wildest imaginations. With the whipping he was adding to the mix, he really did fulfill his promise. Before she realized it, she was screaming into the gag, clenching her whole body, the need for release becoming a burning sensation deep inside her, destroying any of her rational thoughts. The bar between her ankles prevented her from rubbing her thighs together, robbing her of any sort of relief. 

Luckily for them both, the five years together taught him the language of her body, and he soon noticed just how much she needed to come. There was a fine border between edging someone and making them miserable, and he had no intention of crossing it. Dropping the crop, he undid the clasp of the strap around her thigh, switching the wand off and standing up to release her hands. Once again grabbing the chain between her nipples, he pulled her to the bed, making her bend over. Mikasa fisted her hands in the bedding, feeling his fingers touch the plug as he pulled it from her, the sensation alone almost making her come. The gag effectively muffled her cries for him, but luckily, he had no intention of making her wait anymore. Carefully, he positioned his member and pushed in, hoping that the plug loosened her enough for him to slide in. It was still a tight fit, but after dribbling a bit more lube at it, he managed to get himself in all the way, the tight warmth overpowering. Yet Eren was nowhere as desperate as Mikasa was, and as soon as he was sheathed she started rocking her hips against him, following the burning need for release in her stomach. Eren bit him bottom lip, grabbing her hips and pulling out almost all the way, before pushing back in. He felt her insides tighten around him, the muscles working on their own, making him grit his teeth in concentration. Finding their rhythm together, he slipped his hand around her waist, tracing the outlines of her sex with his fingers, feeling just how desperate she really was. Wet was a weak word for her. She was literally dripping, her clit all swollen and sensitive, the foreplay being more intense then she imagined it would be. She tried telling him to move faster, to fuck her harder, but the gag muffled it all, only little whines escaping through it. Eren didn’t need to hear her however, reading her body like an open book, he sped up, slipping his fingers up to touch her tiny bundle of nerves, rolling it between his moisturized fingers. 

She rocked back harder, faster, the pleasured groans cut off by the rubber ball, the coil in her stomach tensing, as the blessed release she chased neared. Not finishing was difficult. Eren stoked her harder with his fingers, doing his best to push her over. Sweat was gliding down his body, his muscles tense as he clenched, focusing every ounce of his quickly dwindling willpower to prevent himself from coming first. Pushing in harder, speeding up his fingers again, he was finally rewarded with a scream that he could hear even through her gag, a ripple that run through her body, the muscles clenching around him making stars dance behind his eyes. With an inhuman effort, he kept stroking her with one hand, while he let go of her hips with the other, reached out and undid the nipple clamps, adding to the already insane amount of stimulations that run through her body. It was one of the most intense orgasms in Mikasa’s life, the multiple ways he pleasured her coming together in a wide river of release, overwhelming her body. All her muscles contracted wildly, the waves of her peak making her vision darken as she slumped on the bed, thrashing. Eren had no idea how long she was coming, but he didn’t hold out long, his member twitching inside her as he followed her over the edge, yet somehow keeping enough mental strength to keep stroking her, lengthening her own release.

When Mikasa finally came back to her senses, she was lying on her back, all the cuffs and toys away from her body, while Eren was sitting next to her head, stroking her hair. 

“What, “, she swallowed, her throat somewhat dry, “, What happened? “

“You passed out. “, he chuckled, “That never happened before. “

She closed her eyes again, stretching. All of her muscles felt sore, even those she never knew existed in her body. She could also feel a cold sensation on her backside, letting her know that Eren already massaged some of the soothing cream into it. What a nice man. 

“Come on, “, he bent to press a kiss to her lips, “we need a shower. “

Once under the water however, with his dexterous fingers rubbing her shoulders, she felt the embers inside her stomach catch fire again. This time, it wasn’t the all thoughts consuming roaring inferno, but a small flame that let her know that despite the aches in her body she could still go on. Eren gasped when he felt her hand curl around his length and looking down he saw her biting her bottom lip, eyes half lidded. “What do you say, “, she stroked him slowly, making him hiss, “that we go again, “A smile tugged on her lips, “Master? “

The second round was slower, more sensual and less intense, but it still left them both satisfied and with shaky legs. They almost fell during it, confirming the suspicions about the dangerous shower sex, but they managed to hold their balance, mostly thanks to Mikasa’s lower body strength and agility. 

“So, how did you like it? “, he asked, when they finally laid down on the bed, fully intending to sleep at least till noon tomorrow. 

She snorted. “Do I really have to answer that? “Seeing his eager face, she signed, leaning in to peck him on the lips. “It was amazing Eren, thank you. “Wrapping his hands around his waist, she slid them lower, grabbing and squeezing his ass, making him yelp in surprise. “I’ll make sure to repay you. “

“Oh really, “he asked, grinning.

“Mhm, “, she came a bit closer, letting her voice drop lower, whispering, “I will break you, like a dog, “, sticking out her tongue, she licked a stripe along his lips, “And you, you will love every damn second of it. “Eren couldn’t help but shiver hearing her talk like that. It was intoxicating. “I’ll make you beg and kiss my feet, and you will thank me for it all in the end. “

“I can’t wait, “he said hugging her tighter and kissing the crown of her head. “Mistress. “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is Eren's turn, so i hope that you enjoyed Mikasa's and are looking forward to the continuation!  
> Also, new manga chapter is out, and without spoiling anything, all i can say is...  
> Damn.
> 
> Till next time!


	15. The test drive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second part of the ass adventures, this time it's Eren's turn to take it. ;)
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

She made him wait, but he wasn’t surprised by that. Mikasa enjoyed making him squirm, watching him lost in his desperation and need for her. And if Eren was to be honest, he didn’t mind either. Sure, the position on his knees wasn’t very comfortable, but he couldn’t he bothered by that. His imagination was running wild, mind creating all the possible scenarios of what she is going to do to him, the anticipation making him hard already. He licked his lips, risking a quick peek towards the door, but he was still alone. Settling back on his heels, he closed his eyes and let his mind wander. 

The quiet meditation was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, accompanied by the sharp clicks of high heels on wood. Eren’s eyes snapped open as he straightened his posture, trying to keep his gaze on the floor, just as she instructed him. But he was weak. After the waiting period, with hundreds of possible outcomes running through his head, he just had to see her. Cringing internally, knowing that he will be punished for this, he let his vision glide over the floorboard and up her body, any of the scenarios in his head paling in comparison with the real thing. Mikasa sure dressed up for today. Starting from the ground, the first thing he could see were the high heeled boots, reaching up almost to the middle of her thighs. They were made of some shiny black material, but Eren couldn’t say if it was leather, latex or something else entirely. Her torso was covered by a corset made from the same stuff, which ended in just the right place, leaving the tops of her pushed up breasts visible. The last article of her clothing was her underwear, which was the lacy black piece he saw on her multiple times already. Guess they didn’t sell a matching one, he thought with a chuckle, but his smile died when he reached her face. Mikasa’s black painted lips were pressed into a thin line, her eyes above them showing the naked steel in her grey gaze. 

“Didn’t I order you to keep your eyes on the ground, pet? “, she shook her head, clearly very, very disappointed with his behavior. 

Eren snapped his gaze back to the floor, feeling his cheeks redden. “I’m sorry mistress, I just couldn’t resist. “He heard her coming closer, the tips of her shoes coming into his view. 

“You disobey my orders, and now you even can’t greet your mistress properly. “, Mikasa sighed, “Your discipline seems to be really lacking tonight, we will have to work on that. “

Remembering his place, Eren lowered his face, planting open mouthed kisses on her heels, following her protocol of “proper greeting. “She let him apologize to her for a few minutes, before grabbing his overlong hair and yanking his head back upwards. “This is a good start, pet. “, she shook him, the rough behavior watering his eyes but also making his arousal spike dangerously. “But it doesn’t make up for your mistakes. “Letting go of his hair, she gestured for him to stand up wordlessly. While Eren was climbing to his feet, Mikasa grabbed the cuffs from the bed, quickly locking them around his wrists and connecting them with the chain. Turning around, she dragged him behind herself towards the ceiling hook, pulling his arms up and securing them there. 

“Now for your punishment, “, she said, and Eren couldn’t help but shiver when he heard the word fall from her mouth. Mikasa rounded him, and he heard her searching around in the drawer, humming to herself. When she appeared in front of him again, she was holding the nipple clamps he used on her the last time they were playing, a cruel smile on her lips. Eren felt the cold bite of the tiny jaws on his skin, pulling a tiny gasp from him before she closed the second metal part around his flesh. Giving the chain between the clamps a pull, she let go of him, only to disappear from his vision again. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long, before he felt the crop smack against his ass, spreading the intoxicating mix of pain and pleasure he loved so much. 

“This, “, she said, smacking him again, “is the usual punishment tool. “Another hit. “But I think that you behaved very bad today and, “another smack, “deserve a harder beating to make up for it. “, She circled in front of him, tracing the tip of the crop over his stomach. “Do you agree, pet? “

Sure, the bite of the leather instrument stung, but Eren couldn’t help but agree that he felt a burning need in his stomach for something harder tonight. Swallowing, he nodded, watching her lips twist upwards in a smile. Mikasa came closer, grabbing a fistful of his hair and yanking his head backwards, her mouth biting on the exposed skin above his collar, marking it. “Good boy. “, she whispered, letting go of him and grabbing the tool she intended to use tonight, a solid cane made from wood. It made a very satisfying sound when she let it fall on her palm, leaving tiny prickles of pain beneath the skin. Yes, this would do very nicely. Taking an experimental swing, she hit Eren’s backside again, loving the way it made him gasp. “Can you handle this? “, she asked, smacking him again. He nodded, rapidly, eager to let her know just how right it felt to be spanked by the wooden instrument. Yet Mikasa wanted to take some additional measures, after all the cane could seriously hurt a person if you let yourself go too far. Pulling down her panties and stepping out of them, she grabbed them from the ground and came in front of her bound victim. “Open. “, she commanded, and he obeyed instantly, letting her stuff the piece of clothing into his mouth and over his tongue, serving as a makeshift gag. “If you drop them, I will stop punishing you immediately. Do you understand? “Eren’s eyes were dark, his pupils dilated, a clear sign just how deep under he truly was, but there was a flash of understanding before he nodded. Satisfied with her security measure, she took a step back and began turning his body red. 

There were pauses between the hits, clearly giving him the time to stop her, but he never did. She was circling him, slowly, the clicking of her heels being the only sound in the room apart form the wood connecting with flesh and his muffled gasps. Eren sank his teeth into the panties, rocking his body with every blow. The pain was intoxicating, his inner masochist was screaming in ecstasy. Another hit landed on his abdomen, making his muscles clench as he took a deep breath through his nose. He loved the suffering she brought him, but he had limits. To gather strength, he drank in her body as she came in front of him, loving the way the dark latex made her pale skin stand out. Another hit, dangerously close to his crotch, the sting made his erection twitch. But when she disappeared from his field of view, he lost his source of power. The next hit landed on his ass again, the area being abused several times over, and he couldn’t handle it anymore. Opening his mouth, he let the panties fall to the floor and Mikasa immediately took notice. She was genuinely impressed with how long it took him to stop her. Returning the cane to its resting place, she pressed her body against him from behind, running her hands over his front and undid the clasps, the metal clattering on the floor, the feeling on his nipples only adding to the mix. 

“You handled the punishment so well. “, she whispered in his ear, “You are so good for me, pet. “Eren wasn’t really in a state to answer, only shivering when he felt her tongue circling his earlobe. “But we are not done yet. “Letting his hands go free of the chain, she left him to stand there as she crossed the distance to the chair, sitting down gracefully and crossing her legs. Beckoning him to follow with a motion of her finger, Eren dropped down to his hands and knees, and crawled after her. Reaching the chair, he pushed himself up to kneeling position again, feeling his whole body sting from the beating. 

“You handled the punishment well, “, she repeated, “But you still have to thank me for it. After all, it was for your discipline, pet. “Understanding the hint, he lowered his face again to her shoes, murmuring “Thank you mistress “, between the kisses. Mikasa chuckled above him, relaxing back in the chair with a satisfied sigh. “I think I’ll let you worship my legs now, pet. And because you took the pain so well, you can use your hands. “How generous of her. Taking one of her long, elegant limbs into his palms, he handled it carefully as if she was made of glass, planting open mouthed kisses and licking long stripes along the black shiny material of her boots. “Look at you, Eren. So hard and aroused just from kissing my shoes. “, she licked her lips, feeling her own excitement grow upon watching him being so dedicated to serving her. “You know that this is your place. Down at my feet, following my orders like a good pet, hoping that I will reward you for it. Say it. Say that you enjoy it. “He pulled his mouth from the latex, his tongue darting over his lips to get some moisture on them. “I love it mistress. I love pleasing you in any way you require of me. “With a nod from her he returned to his duties, making sure not to miss a single place. Reaching the top of the boot, he looked up for her approval before grabbing the zipper between his teeth and dragging it down, freeing her leg from the black material. Once he took it off, he let go of her foot, reluctantly, and picked up the other one, repeating the process. 

After finishing, he sat back on his heels, waiting for her further instructions. Mikasa wiggled her toes, looking down at him, seeing his reddened lips and face, his eyes now the pools of darkness, his arousal clearly visible between his legs. “You did a good job, pet. I think that you earned the right to kiss my bare skin. “ 

“Thank you, mistress. “, he said, lifting her leg up to his mouth again, starting all over. Mikasa had to bite her bottom lip to stop the little moans from escaping when she felt him suck on her toes, licking the sole of her foot. The sheer dedication to her pleasure and his complete obedience were a huge turn on for her. Watching him kiss her shoes was nice and all, but feeling his tongue lick up her bare skin, that set off the fire between her legs. Rubbing her thighs together, she didn’t let her eyes slip from him for a second, as he slowly worked his way up, not missing an inch of her pale skin. When he reached the apex of her thighs, she really wanted him to just drop the act and kiss her there, where the flame was burning already, but Eren was as dutiful as ever. So, he set her foot down, carefully, and took hold of the other one, once again starting at the bottom and licking his way up. When he finally reached the top for the second time, she really had a hard time keeping her composure. But then she remembered that she was in charge, the night was hers to command, so abandoning all sense of self- control, she grabbed his long hair and shoved his face between her legs. 

Eren could smell her arousal, see the way she was dripping, desperate for him. And he wouldn’t keep her waiting, that wasn’t his role tonight. Instead he stuck out his tongue, licking her from bottom to top, pulling a long and unashamed moan from her lips. Mikasa spread her legs more, setting them on the armrests, pulling him even closer. Following her unspoken command, he got to work. As always, he delivered. His mouth worked in sync with his tongue, pulling loud sounds from her mouth. Her head fell back, eyes closing, as she fully enjoyed the way he pleasured her. Tongue reaching deeper with each strong lick, he pulled out of her only to attend to her clit, which was already swollen and sensitive from his previous actions. It didn’t take her long to climax, her whole body convulsing as her thighs pressed into his head from sides, cutting off all of his senses as the wave of wetness drenched his face. Grabbing his hair, she pulled him away from her, pressing her legs together to let her delicate parts rest. Eren remained still as a statue, hands behind his back, waiting for her to calm down. After a few moments, she put her legs up on his shoulders, and he dipped his head again, putting his mouth to work. 

Mikasa let him finish her off again before finally putting a definite stop to it, feeling very satisfied and somewhat weak in the knees. She was dimly aware just how hard it must be for him, spending the better part of the last hour between her legs while his own arousal was still untouched. Deciding to reward him for his performance, she pressed her foot against his face, and his eyes closed as he breathed her scent in, trying to calm himself. “Touch yourself. “, she ordered, trying very hard to prevent her voice from trembling. Slowly, reluctantly, he let his hand touch his hardness, and when she didn’t stop him, he started stroking himself, small puffs of warm breath sliding against her sole. Mikasa watched him, carefully, seeing the way he started losing himself as his hips started to move on their own, his own release nearing. “Stop. “, she ordered, and Eren let out a long whine, but his hand fell from him immediately, the iron discipline triumphing over the primal need to finally hit his release. “On the bed. “, she said, “Get on your hands and knees there and wait for me. “ 

She watched him crawl over to the piece of furniture and climb up, getting to the ordered position while she stood up on her shaky legs and went to retrieve the main dish for tonight. Coming back to the bed, she only stopped to drag down the zipper of her corset, ridding her body of the last piece of clothing. Climbing next to him on the bed, she squirted a bit of the lube she brought on her fingers, rubbing it between them. Eren heard the sound, and his whole body shivered in anticipation. Satisfied with the temperature, Mikasa pushed her fingers between his buttocks, sliding the tip inside the opening there. A full-on moan fell from his lips as he felt the penetration, and he had to fight not to fall on his face. It was strange, feeling her enter him, but somehow good, and he welcomed it. Mikasa worked slowly, loosening him before adding a second finger, circling her hand. She curled them up inside him and his member twitched as he oozed fat beads of pre-cum, fisting his hands in the bedding. Her warm breath tickled his ear as she came close. “Are you ready for the main treat, pet? “, she asked, her voice low and seducing. “Y-Yes m-mistress. Please. “, he whispered, voice shaky. 

Mikasa pulled her fingers out, and grabbed the strap-on, fastening the toy to her hips. Once she was ready, she lubed it up and grabbed Eren’s hips, pushing in, feeling it sink into him inch by inch. It was small, smaller than his member, but then again, he wasn’t really used to having stuff inside of him. And it was still long enough to reach his prostate. She could feel the moment she hit it, because his whole body shuddered, and a few curses fell from his lips, his hand traveling down to touch himself between the legs, the friction too much to handle. But she was having none of it. Mikasa reached out, grabbing his hand and pinning it to the bed. “None of that, pet. “She whispered into his ear, grinding the toy inside him. “I will have complete control over your pleasure, do you understand? “ 

“Y-Yes, I’m s-sorry mistress. “, he pushed through gritted teeth, beads of sweat falling from him. “P-Please touch me. “

Satisfied with his obedience, she bit his neck, dragging her fingernails down his back, leaving red angry marks behind. They stood up nicely, mixing with the welts from the canning, painting a canvas of pleasure and pain on his skin. Eren was panting, shaking, babbling, the control of his body was completely in her hands. Mikasa loved it. Pushing in and out, watching his face as he completely lost himself in the pleasure, marking his back and neck with scratches and bites, it was overwhelming him completely. Finally, finally deciding that she tortured him enough, she reached down, touching his twitching and weeping member with one hand, giving him few slow and thorough strokes. With a scream, he came into her hand, hard, his release racking though his body. His vision went completely white, and his arms and legs buckled, the pleasure taking over. Mikasa’s arm was soon the only thing preventing him from collapsing on the bed completely. 

The sight of him coming undone so hard by her hands reignited the fire in her own stomach, the one she thought has been taken care of by his skilled mouth and tongue. Biting her bottom lip, she lowered him down to the bed, smacking his ass just for good measure. “Turn over. “she commanded as soon as he looked lucid enough to understand. With a groan, he followed the order, hissing when his back and ass slid over the sheets. She really didn’t hold back in the punishment. Looking over her victim, Mikasa smiled seeing just how wrecked he was. And all this was her doing, with him willingly playing his part, because they both loved the way they could make each other lose control, how they made each other come undone. Lowering her eyes, she could see that his member was hopelessly placid, following the huge orgasm, whose aftershocks still rocked through his body. She shook her head. Now that just wont do. Closing her fingers around him, she gave him a few strokes, and his whole body shook under her. He couldn’t help it, the organ inside her hand was incredibly sensitive right now. Mikasa dipped her head, dragging her tongue on the underside of it. Despite his exhaustion and the fact that he just came back from his high, she could feel him coming back to life with her skilled help, which pulled a chuckle from her. Enveloping the whole head in her mouth, she sucked lightly, stroking the rest, and he hardened slowly, with Eren groaning all the time, the oversensitiveness driving him crazy. 

The feeling got only worse when he was fully erect because she let him go from her mouth with a pop and mounted him instead. The damp and hot feeling of her insides squeezing him made him cry out, but Mikasa pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. “Shush. “, she said, “You said you want to please me, right? “He swallowed before nodding, and she leaned forward, licking a stripe along his lips. “So, keep quiet, pet, and don’t you dare coming before me. “He nodded again, and she leaned back, satisfied, beginning the circular motions of her hips. Eren was desperate, biting the insides of his mouth, balling his fists in the bedding, because the feeling of her was enhanced by the sensitiveness of his member, only driving him to a faster finish. But he couldn’t let her down. After all, she was not only his mistress, but also his fiancé, the only woman he ever loved. And he didn’t want to please her just because she told him to, but because it made him happy to see her satisfied. It was an inhuman effort, but he managed to hold himself back, to feel her tighten around him as she peaked, the moans falling from her lips being the sweetest sounds he ever heard. Just then, when she finished riding out her orgasm on top of him, he allowed himself to come, groaning as he emptied his considerably smaller second load inside of her, spent and shivering but just so god damn happy.

“So how did you like it? “, she asked, repeating his question from few days back, when they were both cleaned and back in bed, this time to sleep, letting the exhaustion claim their strength. 

“Well, it’s not something I’d go for every day of the week, “, he said, running a hand over her bare shoulder, smiling, “but I wouldn’t mind doing it again sometime. “

Mikasa grinned, tracing the bite marks she left on his neck with the tip of her finger. She really didn’t hold back on him tonight. Back in the shower, during their aftercare, when she was washing his back, she was taken aback by the number of angry red welts on his back and ass, combined with the scratches he had. She didn’t remember hitting him so much, but then again, she kind of lost control back there. Eren didn’t complain though, only thanked her for being rough with him, saying that he really needed it. Reaching out, she pulled him to a tight hug, pressing kisses all over his face. It felt good to just let the façade drop, to let the play end and remind herself that he was not her slave, but the man she loves. She wanted to tell him that, but before getting the words out she noticed that he was drooling a bit on her breasts, sleeping peacefully. Well, she can always tell him tomorrow. Mikasa dragged her fingers through his long hair, giving him a kiss on the forehead before closing her own eyes, letting the warm feeling inside lull her to sleep.


	16. Expect the unexpected pt.I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone order some angst?
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

“So, when is the wedding? “, Annie asked, circling her opponent in the arena, fists raised. Mikasa was thrown off her game so hard by that question, that she had problems blocking the quick series of jabs the blonde woman sent her way afterward. 

“W-What wedding? “, she breathed out, dancing backwards, trying to put some space between herself and her sparring partner. Annie was having none of it. She pressed on, testing her defenses with punches and kicks, trying to find an opening. “Well “, she said, “You have been engaged to him for some time now, no? Isn’t marriage the next logical step? “A hard punch bounced off Mikasa’s raised hands, and the raven-haired woman quickly countered, landing a good hit on Annie’s stomach, making her double over. She pressed her advantage, and soon she forced her opponent on the ground, squeezing her head between her thighs while restraining her hands with her own. 

Annie struggled for some time, but soon found out that she couldn’t get out of the lock. While she was already training at almost full capacity already, she was still recovering from the gunshot wound she had. Slapping the ground to indicate her surrender, Mikasa let her go and she sat up, massaging her neck. “We didn’t really talk about it yet. “, the winner of the training fight said, helping the loser to her feet. She wanted to explain a bit more about the subject, mostly because Annie gave her a stare that indicated how much she didn’t understand how someone can be engaged for this long and not even talk about the possibility of the wedding, but she was interrupted by Levi who called her to his office. Mikasa shrugged, and left the ring, grabbing a towel and drying herself off as she walked through the gym. 

“What do you have for me? “, she sat down, smoothing some hair from her face. It was getting too long, but she postponed the haircut because she recently discovered her fondness for a longer hairstyle. Levi reclined in his chair, looking her up and down, having the same expression he always had. That whatever he was about to discuss with you was completely unworthy of his time, and you should feel very honored that he had decided to even have this conversation with you.

“I have a certain, “, he clicked his tongue, “proposition for you. “Mikasa waved her hand, signaling for him to go on, while checking her phone for anything important she might have missed. “There is a tourney in Europe, overseas, a big one. It would help promote both you and my gym, and the prize isn’t half bad either. The only problem is, that it’s a very long event, with qualifiers and shit, so we would be gone for a long time. “She looked up from her screen, frowning a bit. “How long? ““Three months. “, he said, holding up his hand to stop her from talking. “Yes, I know, it’s not very usual for a tourney to last this long, and you probably don’t want to leave that boyfriend of yours for three months, but at least think about it, please. It would be highly beneficial for both of us. “

She was just about to say that there is no way in hell she’s leaving for three months, when her phone buzzed, rather loudly. Mikasa picked it up, frowning when she saw that the caller was no one else but the hospital. Was Eren in some kind of trouble? “Yes? “

“Mikasa Ackerman? “, asked the caller, “You were on the emergency call list of a patient we just received, Sasha Blouse. Do you know her? “

She felt her heart drop significantly. “Y-Yes, she is my friend. What happened? “

“Ms. Blouse was in an accident, and she has been badly hurt. I would prefer to discuss the matter personally, if possible, so would you please come to the hospital? I’m sure she would appreciate it. “

 

“How do you find someone here? “, Annie asked, looking around suspiciously, “It’s so huge. “

Mikasa had certain experience with the hospital corridors from her visits to Eren but finding Sasha has provided her with quite a challenge. Just as she was losing hope, she saw her fiancé talking to someone she didn’t know, a short haired man who seemed quite distressed. Tugging on Annie’s arm, she closed the distance, waving to get his attention. Eren looked up, a small smile appearing on his lips, and opened his arms just in time for her to crash into him, crushing him in a hug. “Hey, you ok? “, he asked, smoothing the hair from her face, because it always got there, no matter how hard she tried to prevent that from happening. “I’m fine, how’s Sasha? “Eren’s face grew serious immediately, and he gently untangled himself from her. “She is still being prepared for the surgery, but I won’t lie to you, it’s not looking very good. “He took a step back, nodding to the man he was talking to earlier. “It’s best that I go back now. You sit tight, I’ll come back as soon as I have news. “With that, he turned around and left.

Mikasa felt her insides tighten. Very serious injury? She ran a palm down her face. Annie came to stand next to her, looking at the man in the room with them suspiciously. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I should introduce myself. “, he took a step forward, extending his hand, “I’m Connie, Sasha’s boyfriend. “

Mikasa took it, giving him a shake, a bit surprised. “I’m Mikasa, a friend and former roommate. This is Annie, she is my friend, came to offer her support. “, she shook her head, sitting down. “I have to be honest, I didn’t know that Sasha had a boyfriend. “

“Yea well, “, he ran a hand through his short hair, sitting down himself. “We are kind of a new item. Sasha didn’t feel like talking about us much, but that’s hardly the main issue now, isn’t it? You know what happened? “When Connie saw both of them shaking their heads, he took a deep breath. “It was a robbery; would you believe it? Who tries robbing a restaurant nowadays anyway, most of the payments are made by card, not cash. “He dropped his head to his hands, sorrow taking over. “Three kids came, asking for money, probably for drugs or some shit. And you know Sasha, she refused to give them anything, tried talking them out of it. One of the kid’s guns, some girls, went off, and she shot her through stomach. Before you came, doctor Yeager was just telling me that the bullet hit a bone and didn’t leave the body, so the damage is much bigger than a clean shot through. “

A robbery? This felt so unreal to Mikasa. Yet to be honest, she wasn’t surprised that Sasha didn’t give the kids anything. She never was the type to back down and give in to threats, no matter how serious they were. Looking up, she saw Annie looking at her, offering her a supportive squeeze of a hand. Mikasa forced herself to smile a bit. She was very glad that Annie decided to tag along, but even with her the room seemed to grow smaller, choking the air out. The possibility of Sasha disappearing from her life was looming over her shoulder, squeezing out any happiness she felt, leaving only cold fingers of fear behind. She looked towards the closed doors, hugging herself to keep warm. There was nothing to do now beside waiting. 

 

Eren pulled out another piece, letting it fall on the metal tray with a click. The surgery was even more difficult than they expected. Looking at the scans, they could clearly see that the bullet hit Sasha’s spine, spreading pieces of metal and bone through her insides, causing terrible damage. He checked the monitors, making sure her vital signs were still going strong, before diving in again. He had to make sure that all the fragments were pulled out, otherwise she would never heal. Luckily for him, Erwin was very forthcoming when he requested to do Sasha’s surgery, probably sensing just how important it was for him. Mikasa didn’t have many friends, and her old roommate was one of the oldest, predating even her meeting with him. Yet all this knowledge simply faded to the back of his mind the moment he cut her open. He didn’t care who she was once she was on the table. Another life to be saved, that’s all that mattered. Pulling out a bone piece, he let if drop, taking a moment to make sure she was still stable before pushing back in. There is no way in hell he’s letting her die. 

 

Connie had no idea how long they were waiting, time losing its meaning for him at the moment. Pacing around the room, he kept glancing towards the door, both fearing and hoping that they will open any time soon. He had no idea if he was ready to face the news, the prospect of losing Sasha was suffocating him. The door slid open, revealing the same long-haired doctor that he talked with before, now looking a good deal more tired. He came close, offering him a grim look as the black-haired girl who hugged him before stood up, looking every bit as scared as Connie felt inside. 

“So, “, he had to clear his throat, because his voice almost failed him. “So, what’s the news, doctor. Is she okay? “

“She’s stable for now, but still in coma. We pulled out all the fragments and gave her medication to help her fight the infections, the rest is up to her now. “, Eren looked up from his papers, offering them all a weak smile. “Sasha is a fighter; her vital signs didn’t drop once while she was in the surgery. I’m sure that she will heal just fine. “

Connie felt a surge of relief wash through him, but before he could say anything the doctor held up his hand, having more to say. “There Is a last piece of information I should share with you. While her vital signs are good and strong, the damage done by the bullet was terrible. Even if she heals, there is a big possibility that Sasha will never walk again. “Noting their stunned silence, he sighed. “I assure you that we have done all that we could, but piece of spine got shattered, there is no way we could fix that. I’m sorry. “Seeing Mikasa so distressed about the news, he wanted nothing more than just to hug her and tell her that everything will be okay but judging from her body language he knew that she would flinch on any sort of physical contact right now. So, he shared a quick nod with Annie instead, murmuring that he will be back with more news, turning on his heel and leaving to check on Sasha again. With that the room grew silent again. 

She couldn’t take it, she had to leave. Mikasa had no idea why she felt this way, but the whiteness of the surroundings was suddenly too much to handle, the tranquility of the room was overwhelming. She said her goodbyes to Connie, and walked to the exit, trying to prevent herself from just running for it. Annie followed with a curious expression her face, probably puzzled about what was happening. But she didn’t want any company now. Saying that she’s okay, that she just feels tired and needs to rest, she got rid of her friend, driving home while trying her hardest to prevent her hands from shaking. Everything was suffocating her. The familiar interior of their living room, the friendly color she picked herself, even the light coming in through the windows. And the hair, the stupid overlong hair. She growled, angry at herself for putting off the cut for this long, throwing the black strands from her face again. No, she couldn’t handle it, she had to do something. Grabbing a pair of scissors, she headed for the bathroom. 

It felt better having a short cut again. But it wasn’t enough. Mikasa paced around, Eren’s last words ringing in her head. Sasha will never walk again. How could this have happened? Robbery, gun going off, the bullet hitting the spine. A coincidence? She couldn’t think, not here, not now. It was too much, happening too fast. Not just Sasha, but her whole life felt like it’s crashing down around her. First Eren is threatened with a gun, then her best friend gets shot. Mikasa needed to get away from this. Picking up her phone, she called Levi. 

 

There were a few things Eren truly feared in his life and coming home to find packed bags and suddenly short-haired Mikasa sitting awkwardly in the living room with a coat on was one of them. “Something wrong? “, he forced the words around the quickly growing lump in his throat, hoping they didn’t sound too desperate. 

“Eren, I… “, she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. This wasn’t easy. “I’m leaving. “Upon seeing his eyes widen and the way his face fell, she quickly corrected herself. “Not for good, but for a time. There is a tournament in Europe, three months, and I… I need time. Time to think about everything, about us. I’m sorry. “, She stood up, gathering her things and walking past him, doing her best to prevent the tears from spilling. She turned around in front of the doors, extending her hand to reveal the small circle of metal on her palm. “You should probably take this back. “

Eren crossed his hands on his chest, shaking his head. “I gave that to you, it’s yours, I won’t take it. “With a tiny smile, she slid the engagement ring back on her finger, opening the door.  
“I’ll see you s… I mean, goodbye, Eren. “

And she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you may have guessed, i wrote this as a reaction for chapter 105 of the manga. Why must you punish us this way, Isayama?


	17. Expect the unexpected pt.II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone order an angst refill?  
> ;)
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

Pain. That was the most prominent thing that Sasha felt right now. It shot through her chest, all the way to her head and back, rendering even basic functions like thinking impossible. She swallowed, opening her eyes with inhuman effort, blinking and trying to determine what was happening around her. There was an overwhelming noise around her, buzzing of giant engines, propelling forward the metal box she was lying in. There were people around her, but to her eyes they were simply a blur, figures she couldn’t place. She blinked again, getting some moisture in her eyes, and finally managed to focus on the closest one. It was Connie, she realized, even though he was wearing some weird black clothes, uniform style, with metal wires and gears attached to it. He was talking to her, but she couldn’t make out the words. Gods damn it, why is the noise so loud? Swallowing again, she tried to sit up, only to find out that she couldn’t move her body at all. The pain was receding, as a numbness over took her, a sense to peace creeping in. She had a faint feeling that they accomplished something, something great, something that will change the world for the better, yet she couldn’t truly remember what the deed was. A warm drop fell on her face, the last part of her body she had control over, and she realized that Connie was crying, cradling her head in his lap, holding her. She tried to smile at him, tell him that everything will be okay, yet when she opened her mouth, only one word managed to split out before the darkness took over completely. 

“Meat.”

Sasha woke with a gasp, clutching her chest, but the pain was gone. The noise of engines was replaced with a silence, only broken by a soft beeping of machines. Turning her head, she could see that she was in a bed, white sheets and all, surrounded by a small army of medical life supports. She tried sitting up, but like in the dream, her body refused to follow the command. She couldn’t really feel anything from waist down, she realized, frowning. Just as she was about to put more thought into it, a nurse entered the room. 

“Ms. Blouse, how are you feeling? “, she asked, smiling and checking the machines. 

Sasha swallowed, opening her mouth to answer but only a groan came out. Her throat was so dry that she couldn’t get her words out. The nurse took notice of that, handing her some water. When she freshened up, she managed to say that yes, she was feeling pretty good, but quite confused about what the hell happened. The last thing she remembered was working at her restaurant, filling some orders until someone came in. Kids, perhaps? 

“I believe that those questions would be best answered by your doctor, who will be here momentarily. “, she checked the monitor, nodded to herself, and walked out of the door. 

Sasha fell back into the pillows, working her hands that finally got some feeling into them. Flexing her fingers, she frowned down at her toes, willing them to move. Yet nothing happened, again. As before, her train of thought got interrupted when two familiar figures bursted in. Sasha gasped when she got enveloped in a hug, and the arms dropped from her, a very guilty face of Connie fading into view.

“Shit, Sasha, I’m sorry. “, he took a step back, as if suddenly realizing that she just woke up from god knows how long coma and was lying in hospital. “Did it hurt? “

“Maybe we should hold back on the hugs for now. “, said the other newcomer, long-haired and wearing white doctor coat. He took a quick peek into his file, smiling. “Your vital signs are as strong as ever Sasha, seems like you will be out of here in no-time. “

She focused her gaze on him, racking her brain for his name. Of course, she knew him, work, you useless piece of meat inside my skull. She reasoned that it must be her medication because her thoughts were coming in slow and jumbled. Eren! That’s who he was. Mikasa’s boyfriend, right? When she looked at him closely, she realized that he looked strangely down however. He had circles under his eyes, and his hair was messy, strands sticking out of the bun and falling around his face. Yet the smile he gave her was bright.

“I think that you are a bit confused about what happened, am I right? “, when she nodded, he continued. “You were involved in an accident. I don’t know if you remember, but the kids that came into your restaurant tried robbing it. “, his lips twitched a bit, “You, of course, didn’t give them anything. So, they got nervous, and one of the guns fired. “He gestured towards the bandages on her lower stomach. “You were shot, Sasha. “

Well, that explained a few things. 

“How long, how long was I out? “, she asked, fearing the answer already.

“A week. “ 

Damn. “I feel pretty good, considering I slept for a week. “, she said, trying to lighten the mood. “But I. “She had to ask, there was no other way. Sasha took a deep breath. “I can’t feel my legs Eren. “

He nodded, his face grim. “The bullet hit you in the spine, there was an excessive internal damage. I did what I could, but I can’t fix everything. “He looked a bit guilty, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, but the possibility of you ever walking again is quite slim.“ 

Silence fell on the room. Connie was holding her hand, squeezing it gently, while Eren kept his eyes on the file. Sasha blinked, taking the information slowly in. She might never walk again. Ever. In her life. Yet the overwhelming sadness and despair she expected never truly set in. Her life was hardly over, was it? The loss of her legs just paled with the numbness that her dream brought. This was nothing, she can get over it. Sasha was a fighter. The road may be hard, but she won’t give up. She never did. 

“Thank you. “

Eren’s head shot up, not sure he heard right. 

“You saved my life, didn’t you? “, she said, sitting up straighter. He looked a bit embarrassed, scratching the back of his head. “You always blamed yourself Eren, even back when you were in school. I’m sure that you did everything that you could, and if anyone else would be taking care of me, I would most likely be dead. “She gestured for him to come closer, and when he did, she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. “Thank you. “, she whispered in his ear again, giving him a kiss on the cheek before letting him go. He took a step back, red faced, murmuring that he had to be somewhere else before disappearing through the door. Sasha took a deep breath, looking up on her boyfriend who seemed every bit as surprised by her reaction as Eren was. 

“Let’s get out of here, shall we? “


	18. Expect the unexpected pt.III

The sun was glistening on the water surface, making the river light up from the inside. Mikasa leaned on the railing, breathing heavily, taking a break from her morning run. The city she and Levi stayed in was a beautiful one, with just the right mixture of modern and old to create perfect relaxing experience while providing its inhabitants with all the luxury they could ask for. As usual, she wasn’t the only one awake even at this early hour. There were other runners, and several casual walkers, enjoying the morning breeze and drinking in the sights, just as she was right now. 

Mikasa focused on her breathing for a minute, stretching, squinting up to the sun defiantly. It was about the time she should head back. Levi will most likely be up by now, so they can head down to the gym and begin the real training of the day. They had just a few days before the first rounds of the tournament, and the routine he set for her was quite merciless. Putting her hands back on the railing, she had to admit that merciless was the best thing for her right now. With her mind completely focused on controlling her body, the thoughts she didn’t want to have couldn’t creep in. The memory of Eren’s face when she closed the door, the taxi ride to the airport during which she kept a stone face and the following flight when she did the same. Levi didn’t say anything when he saw her, didn’t ask any questions, god bless the man, because she was sure that she would break if he did. It didn’t mean he didn’t care for her, he did, but Levi simply knew that leaving her alone is exactly what she wants from him. Mikasa build a wall around herself, ever since childhood, and her emotions were her own, she didn’t want anyone to look into them. That was, until Eren came into her life. Knowing that, Levi did exactly what was the right thing to do. Nothing. He ignored her fixed expression the whole flight. He didn’t pose a single question when she cried herself to sleep once they were in their hotel room. He gave her the time to heal. And think.

The sun warmed her outside, but it couldn’t reach the coldness inside that seemed to be a permanent companion ever since she left her house. Mikasa closed her eyes and tilted her head up, turning over the big question that filled her mind ever since the breakup. Was it really a break up though, she thought to herself. You left him, whispered one voice inside her mind, you offered to give him back your engagement ring. But he didn’t take it, opposed the other, he still loves me. She sighed. She handled the situation very poorly, Mikasa knew that, but problem was, she didn’t know any better. The instinct to simply cut and run when the surrounding became too overwhelming was too strong inside her bones. What happened, happened. Now was the time to face the present and make the decision. Absent minded, her hand started playing with the ring on her finger. Yea, she still wore it. Her lips pulled into a small, sad smile. So much for a clean break. Her sorrowful musings were interrupted by her buzzing phone. Pulling it out, she didn’t even look who it was before accepting the call and putting it to her ear. 

“Mikasa! How you doing? “, Connie’s voice was surely a surprise, but a welcome one. 

“Hey Connie, I’m fine, what about you? “, she turned her back towards the glistening river, leaning more comfortably on the railing. “How’s Sasha? “

“Oh, everything is amazing really. Sasha is kind of the reason why I’m calling, she woke up! “, there were sounds in the background, a voice demanding attention. Connie laughed nervously. “She really wants to talk to you. “

Mikasa grimaced. How exactly is she going to explain the current situation to her friend? She literally left her in coma, running away the day she had the accident. Not a very friendly thing to do. Connie was doing his best to stall her but judging from the sounds on the other end of the line, it was a losing battle. “It’s all right, “, she said, “put her on. “

“Mikasa Ackerman! “, for someone who just spent a considerable time sleeping, Sasha’s voice was loud and clear. A little bit too loud. “What the hell do you think you are doing? Leaving me here all on my own, surrounded by wild animals and doctors, leaving behind only my boyfriend to protect me. We both know he can’t brawl for shit. “Connie seemed to disagree with that, but Sasha shushed him. 

“I’m sorry Sash, I just. I just had to go. “Yea, that sounded really convincing. Mikasa cringed internally, pinching the bridge of her nose. How was she supposed to explain what she felt inside? Yet something in her voice must have given it away, because next time her friend spoke, it was way softer. 

“Mikasa? Honey, you know you can talk to me about anything, right? I took a little nap, “, they both chuckled at that, “but I’m back in full strength and ready to help. “  
“In full strength? “

“Well, I mean there’s a little problem with my legs not working right now, but ill get them to cooperate. You know me, I don’t give up. “ 

Mikasa felt tears prickle in her eyes. So Eren’s prediction came true. Sasha was unable to walk; just woke from a coma and first thing she did was call her and offer her support. She didn’t deserve to have a friend like that. 

“I’m sorry, but I think that this is something I have to go through by myself. “, she whispered, trying hard not to cry. 

“Sure thing! Just give me a call when you feel better and we can gossip for hours. Not like I have anything better to do. “, there wasn’t even a hint of sadness in Sasha’s voice. Somehow, she managed to remain cheerful even in a situation like this. Mikasa didn’t understand it. After saying their goodbyes, the line disconnected. Mikasa stared at her phone, noticing that her lock screen was still the same picture of Eren she took a few months back. He looked so carefree here, smiling into the camera with his hair falling all around his face, the sun lightening its natural brown color. With a sigh, she stashed the device back into her pocket, pushing herself off the railing and picking up speed as she ran back towards the hotel. She needed to clear her head. 

 

Levi was awake by the time she got there, frowning into his laptop and sipping black coffee as usual. 

“Something wrong? “, she asked as she fixed her own drink, sitting at the table and picking at her eggs. 

“Just giving Hange some instructions how to manage the gym while I’m gone. “

“You are letting her take over? “, she took a mouthful, chewing. It tasted pretty good. 

“Wasn’t my idea. “, he shrugged, “But she offered to do it after her hours at the lab, apparently, she really likes watching people in specific situations, gym being one of them. “. His frown only deepened, as he closed the machine and stood up. “Finish your food, and get ready, we are leaving as soon as possible. “

 

“Well you certainly have some unresolved anger issues “, he said, picking himself up from the floor again. 

Mikasa dropped her hands down from the fighting stance, muttering an apology. She really went hard on her sparring partner today, and It was hardly his fault. Her mind just continued working, no matter how hard she worked out to prevent that from happening. Sasha’s call repeating inside her skull, mixing with the stuff she felt towards Eren, that mix being spiced up by her own insecurities and self-doubts. And the only way she knew to prevent that from happening wasn’t working right now. So yea, she was pretty angry at herself.

“No, it’s ok. “, Levi unstrapped his gloves, dropping down on the chair and opened a water bottle. “Just take it out on your opponents in the tournament, not on me. “

If it only was so easy.

 

The next two months flew by quickly. Training, fighting, and training again, everything became a blur. The first rounds were easy, then the opponents became a bit tougher, but they were still nowhere near her level. But as she smoothly progressed through the tournament, the real fight was going on inside her head. Two months, and she was nowhere close to resolving her inside struggle. Eren didn’t call her once, which was understandable considering that she was the one who walked out on him, and she didn’t have the courage to call him herself. She talked with Sasha a lot but couldn’t really bring herself to ask her friend for advice. No, this was something she had to decide for herself. But how? She had a month before facing him again, yet she had no idea how that will go. They say that time heals all wounds, yet who was really the wounded party here, she couldn’t tell. Two months later, back on the same spot, overlooking the river and watching the sun dance on the water.

And not an inch closer to the solution.


	19. Expect the unexpected pt.IV

“So, it’s been two months. “

“Mhm. “

“You holding up all right? “

Eren sighed, carefully putting the barbell back onto its rest and pushing himself into a sitting position on the bench. Hange, who was supposedly “spotting him”, shifted herself a bit, leaning more comfortably against the neighboring machine. Her slim build suggested that she wouldn’t be able to help even if Eren was exercising with only the metal bar, which only deepened his suspicion that she was following him around to talk, not to train. 

“You want to switch? “he asked sarcastically.

She shook her head, muttering that she’s good. 

“I asked you a question, it’s rude to ignore it. “

To buy time, he picked up his bottle, taking a drink and looking around. The gym was rather empty at this hour, just the way he liked it. To be honest, he was surprised to find out that even with Levi gone it was still running, temporarily shifted under Hange’s management. This meant that the opening hours began after her shift at the lab, but that suited him just fine. The gym was his redemption he just couldn’t stay home. Every time he opened the door to find the house empty, another tiny part of him died. She was everywhere in his memories. Sitting on the couch, watching Tv, sleeping in their bed, in the shower or in the kitchen, singing her childish songs while doing one of her food experiments. Eren chuckled. Out of the two, he was always the better cook. His mother taught him, it was their form of bonding together after his father died. Mikasa grew up with Levi, which meant living on takeout and instant ramen. After they got together, he spent a good number of evenings in the kitchen with her, teaching her what he knew. She was enthusiastic, but the normal recipes did little to satisfy her curiosity. That meant coming home to sometimes horrible, sometimes surprisingly tasty combinations, all of them her own ideas. She used to joke that she will write a cooking book one day. Eren’s smile died on his lips. He wondered if he will ever get to read it. 

“From the fallen expression on your face, ill take a wild guess and say that you aren’t holding up very well. “, Hange said, scribbling into her tiny notebook. Where she was keeping it all the time, that was a mystery to him. 

“I-I’m fine. “, he said, trying to defend himself. “Just tired. “

“You are tired because you spend all of your waking hours either at work or here. “, she crooked an eyebrow at him. “I do wonder why that is. “

Damned woman. She was too smart for her own good. Of course he had to either work or train, his home has become a living museum of memories. Memories of what he lost. Eren was never a big gym freak, that was Mikasa’s role, but with his free time suddenly very unoccupied he found himself wondering what to do. Armin was usually busy, spending time with Annie, and his other colleagues also had their lives. For perhaps first time in his life, he felt truly alone. After finding out that the gym was opened, he dedicated all his time off there. Body strain dulled the mind, making him able to fall asleep easily, way too exhausted to think. And that was just perfect. Coming here had only one tiny problem, which was right now standing above him and scribbling away. 

For some reason, Hange seemed really taken by his case. The first month she was only observing him, but the second she came close, offering to spot him during his lifting. He never really needed a partner, knowing his strength rather well, but she was a friend, so of course he accepted. Her spotting turned out to be just standing around while he exercised, flooding him with an unending stream of questions and writing her new findings into that infernal notebook. Eren had the unshakable feeling that he became one of her social experiments, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it. 

“Have you perhaps thought about finding other way to release your frustration than a gym? “

He frowned.

“What frustration? “

“Sexual of course, what else. “

His cheeks reddened at that, which she found downright adorable.

“It’s just logical. “, she continued, leafing through her notes, “From what I gathered, you used to be in a very sexually active relationship, and your supply, if we can call it that, got suddenly cut off. It’s nothing to be ashamed of really. Sex produces a lot of hormones, like… “

“I know what sex is, thank you very much. “, he cut her off, looking around to make sure this conversation was private. “I can handle my frustration myself. “

“I’m not so sure about that, judging from the state of you. “, she continued, eager to prove her point. “If you want, I can give you some tips and tricks, perhaps establish some contact with professionals who could help you. “

“I don’t need whores. “, Eren grinded his teeth. Sometimes it was hard to remember that Hange really meant well. Her purely scientific mind simply searched for a solution, that was it, there was no mockery in her words. “Look, “he said, “If I tell you a funny story will you stop talking about it? “

She frowned. “Does that story have something to do with your inability to relieve yourself of stress? “When he nodded, her face grew suddenly very interested, and she leaned forward as not to miss a single word. “Okay, we have a deal. “  
Eren looked around the now empty gym. No surprise, it was really getting late. He honestly had no idea why he wanted to tell her what happened to him. Perhaps it was because he felt alone, and she was as of right now the only person willing to listen. “Right then, “, he said, “listen or make notes or whatever, because I’m not going to repeat myself. “

 

The bar was full, the music loud, the guests intoxicated. It was exactly the type of place he was looking for. Eren swirled his glass, kicking back his drink, feeling it burn down his throat. He had no idea how many he had, but his head was positively fuzzy, and his thoughts were slow, signaling that he was in fact quite drunk. He never was a heavy drinker. Of course, he and Mikasa attended some college parties together, and he was no stranger to a glass of good whisky after work, but he never drank excessively. To reason was so simple that it was downright painful. Till now, he had no reason to drink to forget, to dull his mind. Eren prided himself that he never took any drugs, his medical practice giving him enough cases of overdosing to stamp out any need to try them. But he was addicted, he just never realized it. He was addicted to Mikasa, to her calming presence, to be able to come home and have someone tell him that everything will be ok. He was a junkie, and his stash has just run out. And as every addict, he was looking for something else to fill the void. 

He signaled the bartender for a refill, making a mental note to leave a huge tip when the man did what he asked without any stupid commentary or questions. It was just two days since she left, but he was already feeling like the light of the world was snuffed out. I’m pathetic, he thought to himself, sighing. Grown man, respected doctor, an expert in his field. Yet the only thing he wanted to do was to go home and curl in his bed, vainly hoping that he will wake up and all this will be just a dream, that she never went away. Eren always thought that he was smart, but this was a problem he couldn’t find a solution for. Why she broke like that, why couldn’t they just talk about it like they always did, work it out together. Another thing about women ill never get, he chuckled, picking up his glass and draining it. The world around him blurred when he set the glass back, and he swayed dangerously on the bar stool. All right, seems like I have enough. Pulling out his wallet, he paid, not forgetting to tip the good man, and stood up. The whole world was spinning, and Eren groaned, massaging his temples. Just as he collected himself enough to leave, a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“What are you doing here all alone, handsome? “, asked a feminine voice.

Eren opened his eyes, blinking at the girl that grabbed him. He didn’t know her, even drunk he was sure of that. She seemed to be in her late teens, early twenties maybe, with tanned skin and hazel eyes, brown hair falling around her shoulders and framing her face. 

“Can I. “, he licked his lips, collecting his thoughts. “Can I help you? “

She smiled, letting go of his shoulder and came closer. 

“You can. “

Her hand reached out, playing with his long hair as she continued talking.

“Look handsome, I came here today because my life has been full of shit lately, so I want to unwind. And you, you look like the perfect tool for that. “

Eren blinked again, his drunk mind slowly piercing together what she just said. It certainly didn’t help that he never did any bar dating in the past, not even one-night stands or anything. Until recently, he was in a perfectly satisfying relationship. Even through the curtain of alcohol, his heart ached again. But the words “No thank you” never made it past his lips. After all, why the fuck not? She left him, didn’t she? For all he knows, she might be banging someone in the fucking Europe right now, the engagement ring safely removed from her finger. They tiny rational part of his mind protested, knowing that Mikasa would never do that, but he pushed it down. So, she leaves him after he literally saves a life of her friend. Well fuck her then, he doesn’t need her. This girl was pretty, and she wanted to have a quick fuck, he can give her that. No problem. 

“If you want to have some fun, “, he said, forcing his own lips to smile, “You found the perfect guy. “

The bathroom was empty, thank god, and the stall was surprisingly clean. She pushed him down on the, luckily closed, toilet seat, her mouth not leaving his for a second as she straddled his waist. Eren kissed her back, forcing back the thoughts that reminded him just how different this was from kissing Mikasa. She always used her teeth to tuck at his lower lip, always tried to take control of the kiss. No. I can’t think about her, not now. With difficulty, he silenced his mind, focusing on the present. He didn’t want to hear that he was just about to cheat on her. He could only imagine how surprised the girl would be if he told her that she is going to be his second sexual partner ever. His eyes kept scanning her face, searching for any traces of Mikasa in her features and finding none. He forced them to close. Tried to let himself be taken by his instincts, but they felt weak, fake and forced. The girl seemed to have none of his problems, her crotch grinding against his, as her hand slowly reached down to touch him. The kiss stopped abruptly. Eren opened his eyes to be met with a very confused look on her face, her hand now resting between his legs. It didn’t take him long to figure out the problem. He wasn’t hard. 

The absurdity of the situation was slowly settling in. They were kissing for good ten minutes and she was in his lap for the last five, giving his body more than enough time to get itself ready. Yet for some reason his member was completely limp. Her hand left him, and she sighed, looking disappointed.

“I’m sorry. “, he managed to say, “This never happened to me before. “

She patted his cheek affectionately, climbing off his lap and straightening her skirt. Deciding that she looked presentable enough, she opened the stall doors. 

“You should have told me that you are gay. “, she said with a wink, and was gone.

“I’m not… “, he began before realizing that she is gone. 

The sound of defeated laughter was surprising, and it took him a moment to realize that it was coming from his own lips. Leaning his head back against the wood, he closed his eyes, letting the room spin round and round. The evening just couldn’t get any better.

 

Hange was silent when he finished his story, but her pen never stopped moving. 

“This is amazing. “, she said finally, closing the notebook, excited expression on her face.

Amazing wouldn’t really be the word Eren would describe it with, but it was surely interesting. He didn’t lie to the girl, he never had problems with getting hard before. If anything, he had the opposite problem. It just didn’t make sense. She was reasonably attractive, and he was a healthy human male, his body should have reacted. Yet it didn’t. 

“Have you done it before? “, Hange asked suddenly, derailing his train of thought.

He arched an eyebrow at her.

“Drink and have sex, did you ever do it? “, she explained, her notebook opened once more.

“I… “, there really was no point in lying to her, was there. “Yes. “There were few Fridays when he and Mikasa got totally wasted at home, just to have drunken sex on the couch and fall asleep there. They called it the night of bad decisions, especially when they were nursing their headaches in the morning. Yet it never stopped them from doing it again. 

The pen scratched on the paper. “So logically it must be the female part of the coitus that doesn’t sit well with your system. “

“You realize that that’s bullshit, right? I was just way too drunk. Or it was my mental state, my mind wasn’t really okay back then. “ He kept silent about the fact that it was still far from healed. 

“Those facts, they are boring. “, Hange wiggled her finger at him. “And I don’t do boring, so we will go with my theory, not yours. “

Eren shook his head in defeat. It really had no sense to argue with her. In the end, things will go as she want them to, and that was that. 

“As I said, this is amazing. Man, who is physically unable to cheat on his partner because his bits simply refuse to work unless the mating is occurring with the said partner. But a lot of research must be done before we can confirm this theory. “Eren was just about to protest, to say that his life was hardly an experiment, but she shushed him. “Luckily for you, “she said, “I am your friend, and I will take on this project free of charge. “she smiled at him, and it was so predatory that he had to fight the instinct to run from her. “Starting now, your specific impotence is as much your problem as it is mine. And don’t worry, I will not rest until I have figured it out. “ She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, a huge smile plastered on her face. 

Eren sighed, letting his head fall to his hands. He had the feeling that he just made a terrible mistake.


	20. Expect the unexpected pt.V

Eren opened his eyes to the bright morning sun, feeling very well rested. He sat up and stretched, stifling a yawn and taking in his surroundings. His sight soon discovered another person in the bed with him, very familiar pale bare upper back peeking from the covers. With a sly grin, he moved himself closer, letting one hand dip underneath the bedding into the dip of her waist that he knew so well. He splayed his palm, feeling her abdominal muscles rising with each breath she took, tracing the shapes of them with the tips of his fingers. In the same time, he began a journey with his lips, starting at the point of her shoulder and moving ever so closer to her neck, tracing the road with tiny kisses. Mikasa was always a light sleeper, so he wasn’t surprised when her eyes fluttered open, and she turned her head just enough to see him watching her, a lazy smile spreading on her lips. 

“Watching me sleep? Creep. “

He shrugged, murmuring “Guilty.”, before continuing his path, drawing a small moan from her when he reached her neck. Even though it was an early morning, she seemed to be fully awake now. As soon as he bit into her skin to mark it, her eyes flared at the challenge, and before Eren realized it he was on his back with her on top of him, with a victorious grin on her face. 

“I win. “, she whispered before lowering her head enough for their lips to brush, and soon they were kissing, her hands coming up to frame his face. With inhuman effort, he stopped her, taking her hands in his and frowning at the red circles around her wrists. 

“I told you that I prefer the padded cuffs, not the metal ones. “, she said, pouting slightly. 

“It would be okay If you didn’t pull on them so hard. “, he replied, pressing his lips against the marks gently. 

Impatient once more, she pulled her hands from his, grabbing his wrists instead and pushing them down to the bed, locking them in her unbreakable grasp. 

“I’ll survive. “, she pulled at his bottom lip with her teeth, before letting it snap back into place, earning a low groan from him. It got only worse as he felt her heat push against his very quickly growing hardness, as she grinded her want on him. 

“Now, where were we? “

 

Eren groaned, opening his eyes, this time for real, feeling like he grew older by fifty years over night. Even though he knew what he will find, his eyes still scanned the empty half of the bed. She wasn’t here, of course. Stupid dreams. He got up from the bed, stretching. A quick peek downwards confirmed his suspicion that when Mikasa was involved, even in a dream, he really had no problems getting hard. As he showered he couldn’t get the night visions out of his head. Part of him hated himself that he couldn’t stop thinking about her, even when he slept. Much bigger part of him hated himself because he woke up too early, before the dream could really get juicy. So, this is where I am now, he chuckled, putting his head under the stream of water, hoping to get off on a wet dream. Pathetic. 

Work was a pleasant distraction as usual. As soon as he set foot into the hospital, he was able to focus, to clear his head and think. Yet every shift has its end, and two successful surgeries later he was done, contemplating what to do now. As it was ever a question. Packing his bag, he prepared himself for the gym, only to run into Ymir on the way out. 

“Going lifting again? “, she asked, smirking at him with her usual friendly smile.

“Something wrong with that? “

“What? Of course not. “, she came closer, squeezing his bicep. “It’s good to see that you are finally trying to be the one to put on the pants in your relationship. “, she joked, laughing. 

Eren forced a smile on his face, praying that it didn’t appear too much as a grimace. Of course, Ymir had no idea what was going on between him and Mikasa. He didn’t tell anyone, apart from Hange and Armin. But he underestimated her intuition.

“What's up? “, she asked, suddenly concerned.

“Oh, it’s nothing. “, he tried to play it cool. “I’m just a bit tired. “

Even when he was leaving, he felt her eyes on the back of his skull. Whatever he said, she didn’t look very convinced. 

 

As soon as he got to the gym, he saw his other problem casually leaning against the machines. Hange was going over her notebook, tapping the pen to the paper, mouthing some words silently. It was exactly a week since he told her about his little incident, since she declared him a new subject for her research. So far, she didn’t want anything from him, and when he asked she brushed him off, saying that she had a plan and he is not supposed to disturb her. Eren walked up to her, murmuring his hello. Her eyes lit up immediately. 

“Eren! Finally! “

“Finally? “, he cocked an eyebrow at her. “You have something for me? “

As proud as a mother whose child just won a national spelling bee, she tapped her finger on the tiny notebook. 

“The test is ready! “

“What test? “

“One that will help me pinpoint the root of your problem and hopefully suggest some cures I could try. “

Eren groaned.

“Just give me a minute to stretch, and then you can fire anything u want at me. “

 

“If you would narrowly escape a burning building, would you go back to try and save your partner? “

The weight clinked as he let go of the handle, straightening his back. So far, the questions were rather simple. Hange wanted to know Mikasa’s favorite food, color, movie and similar stuff. Easy. Than she asked the same questions, but this time she wanted to know about him and his tastes. But this, this was a new type. And one look at her confirmed that she was deadly serious, pen raised and ready to note his answer.

“I… “, he swallowed, but in his heart, he was sure of what to say. “Yes. Yes, I would. “

She nodded, writing it down.

“How many sexual partners did you have in your life? “

“W-What? What kind of question is that? “

Hange looked up from her notebook, unamused. 

“It took me a long time to put this together, Eren, so would you please be so kind and just answer the questions? They all have a meaning, I assure you. “

Here she was again. Scientist through and through. She didn’t ask to humiliate him, or to pull some spicy secret out of him. It was just another variable of her equation. He took a deep breath, taking a look around to ensure their privacy. 

“One. Just one. “

She noted it down without commenting it any way. Luckily. 

“How many partners did your counterpart have? “

“I... I mean, just one, too. “

Another scratch of the pen. 

“What attracts you the most on your partner? “

All right, this was a hard one. Eren wasn’t blind, of course he was attracted to the way she looked, after all, she was fucking beautiful. But it wasn’t the only thing. She was smart, funny, and so incredibly sweet when he needed it. Or strict, when he deserved it. He loved the way she smiled in the morning, he loved her cooking attempts, no matter how they tasted. He loved how understanding she could be, always ready to listen and offer her support when he struggled with something. There were simply way too many features to list.

“Everything. “, he said, and he meant it form the bottom of his heart. 

This time he could swear that he saw a tiny smile twitch on Hange’s lips, but it was gone before he could be sure. 

“Very good, “, she nodded, “Let’s continue. “

 

About three hours later it was completely dark, and she had enough info, as she said, closing her notebook with a very satisfied expression. After telling him that she will analyze the results as soon as possible, she finally left him to his own devices, allowing him to take a quick shower and head out, feeling very pleasantly tired. The only thing he prayed for was a dreamless sleep. But it didn’t look like the world is ready to let him go just yet.

“Yeager! “

Eren stopped dead, turning around to see a tall lanky shadow part from the side of the building, throwing a butt of cigarette on the ground and stomping it out. The voice, he was sure he heard it somewhere before. But he couldn’t place it. The figure came closer, letting the street light illuminate the features of its face. And Eren couldn’t help but stare.

“Jean?! “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Monccyy for reminding me just how many characters exist in the AoT universe.
> 
> Till next time!


	21. Expect the unexpected pt.VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Itching closer and closer to the finish line, with Jean making his surprising appearance.
> 
> As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

Back on the place of my recent failure, Eren thought with a smile as he followed Jean into the bar. The shock he had from seeing him still haven’t worn out entirely, but he had the situation under control. For now, that is. They found an empty table, and sat down, placing their orders. Eren couldn’t help but notice the dreamy expression that entered the waitresses’ face upon seeing Jean. He shook his head. Back in high school, they used to call him horse face, but the years chiseled him. Even in college he was considered one of the best catches. Tall and broad shouldered, with a great mane, he was more like a mighty stallion than a horse. Funny how nature does that.

Now the awkward silence came. Eren honestly had no idea how to start the conversation. Like what in seven hells was Jean doing here anyway? Last time he heard he was working almost all the way across the state. Well sure, they knew each other for a very long time, but their friendship, if you can call it that, was unique in its own way. They first met at high school, and almost immediately developed a dislike towards each other. Younger Eren would never say that Jean was his friend. They clashed in just about everything, trying to beat each other in the dumbest possible competitions. The older they got, the more they realized that under the guise of their rivalry they slowly developed a certain comradery, so when they found out that both will be attending the same university, it made them happy. Secretly of course. 

Once there however, they kind of lost contact. Eren found Mikasa, and Jean developed his own circle of friends, so they didn’t really keep contact anymore. Hell, they didn’t talk for like what, two or three years? And now here he was, sitting right across the table. 

“Right… “

“So… “

Cough.

The silence stretched.

Jean rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, but Eren was fed up with this. He had enough problems now, even without his old friend coming back to gaze at him from across the table creepily. Just as he was about to open his mouth and tell Jean to fucking squeeze out whatever he wants to say, the other man shook his head.

“I’m so bad at this. “

“Bad at what? “

“Look, you know Hange, right? “

Eren couldn’t help but blink in surprise. What the hell had Hange to do with this?

“I do. “, he said carefully. 

“Right, well. “, Jean gave him a mirthless grin. “I have some business dealings with her, and two days back she calls me out of the blue demanding that I come here. “

“Come here? Why? “

“Well… “, he spread his hands, most likely to show that this was not his idea, “To support you during your trying times of course. “

Eren’s head nearly thumped the table. So, Jean was just another part of Hange’s experiment. She called him to come over most likely because he knew him for a very long time, so she naturally assumed that they were great buddies. Damn the woman, she knew too much.

“Look. “, he said, “Thanks for coming, but I’m fine, really. “He wasn’t fine, but he really had no idea how someone like Jean was supposed to help. His problem was somewhat unsolvable. 

“Yea I mean, I don’t even know how I should help you, she didn’t tell me what’s eating you. “, Jean shrugged. “But fuck it, I’ve come all the way, we can grab a few drinks and catch up, right? “

Eren nodded, feeling more relaxed. That was a great idea. After all, they didn’t see each other for years, there’s a lot of talking to do. And sure, they might not be the best of friends, but deep down he liked Jean. He was a reliable guy with a good sense of humor. Just don’t mention Mikasa, he said to himself, watching the waitress come with their drinks, forget about her for the evening. Relax.

 

“And I’m so scared that she will never come back, you know, because everything seems so dull without her around. “, Eren sniffed, trying to prevent himself from crying. He checked his glass just to see that it was empty again. Where the hell were the drinks disappearing to all the time? His plan to just relax and talk about little nothings crumbled rather quickly, because being the emotional wreck he was lately he started drinking. And fast.

Here he was, once again letting alcohol drown his worries, spilling his heart to the man sitting across the table. The man he hasn’t seen in years, one that wasn’t really that great of a friend. But fuck it, he was alone. Mikasa was gone, Armin was doing god fucking knows what with Annie, and Hange was honestly starting to creep him out. Jean sipped his drink much slower, clearly not intent on getting wasted as fast as Eren was. He was listening most of the time, offering his insight in a few places, but overall, he wasn’t very talkative. Maybe it was because Eren just didn’t shut his mouth for most of the time. Yea, that had to be it.

“I don’t even know why, why she left me in the first place. “, despite the drunkenness, the word left a bitter taste in his mouth. His mood swung, and he felt anger rising in him. “For all I know she has fucked half of Europe by now. “  
Jean sighed. “You really think Mikasa would do that? “

“I don’t know! I recently discovered that I don’t know her at all! “, Eren hit the table, quietly boiling inside. “She was all about talking stuff through, you know, like solving problems by sharing them. And then she just does shit like this. So, what am I supposed to say. I don’t know her. “

“Do you remember our second year in college? “, Jean swirled his drink, waiting for him to answer. Eren blinked, his intoxicated mind slowly putting one and one together. Oh right, they went to school together. He nodded, trying to remember anything significant that happened back then. “And do you remember the party at my house? “Oh right, that was a good one. Jean had a birthday or something and organized quite a gathering. His parents were gone for the weekend, which meant a huge celebration which promptly turned into another drunken house rave. Good times. 

“And do you remember that Mikasa broke my nose there? “, Jean gave him a tight smile. When Eren shook his head, he sighed. “Yea, I can’t say I’m surprised, you were really wasted back there, we all were. “He leaned back in his chair, clearly ready for some story time now. “It was late, or really early, I don’t really remember. Half of the people were passed out, the other half who were still going had consumed enough alcohol to flood the house. The music was playing, and people were dancing in the living room. “He chuckled. “If you can call swaying drunkenly dancing, that is. I was going somewhere, but I forgot where, so I was just standing there scratching my head, trying to remember. That’s when I saw her. “He tapped the table with the tips of his fingers, the subject kind of embarrassing even after all these years. “I had a crush on Mikasa back in the days, a small one, but it was there. I was jealous of you, it was partly the reason why we didn’t really hang out in the college. And I saw her there, alone, moving to the music, you nowhere to be seen. So, I said to myself, fuck it, give it a try. You are better man than Eren anyway. “ 

The wasted doctor got to his feet, swaying dangerously. “Are you trying to say something by that? “, he growled. If he was being honest, he was drunk as fuck and itching to punch someone. And now this guy was sitting here, most likely trying to tell him that he is a better partner for his girl. Well, his mistake. Time for a beating. But as he was about to punch him in the face, the room spun, and he fell back on his ass, blinking. Damnit. Seems like he underestimated the effects of alcohol. Jean was watching the whole scene with his glass half raised to his lips, a curious expression on his face.

“You done? “, he asked, doing nothing to hide his smile.

“Just wait till I sober up, “, Eren said, “Ill kick your ass after. “

“You could do that, or you could just listen to the rest of my story. “

Eren’s brain went to work once more, trying to find a way that would allow him to listen and kick ass in the same time. “Ill hear you out, and then ill kick your ass. “, he said, very proud of himself for coming with such a complicated solution. 

“Right. “¸Jean continued, “So I’m standing there, my younger brain spurting all this nonsense on me, and I’m like fuck it, what’s the worst thing that can happen. So, I go over to her, and put my hand on her ass, and everything is great. “, he sighed, “For about three seconds, because then she turns her head and sees that its me and not you that’s touching her. And she punches me in the face. “

Eren started laughing. He remembered now! Hearing the commotion and coming to check it, just to find Jean on the floor, clutching his face with people all around him. Hilarious.

“I had to set it back, right? “, he managed to choke out during the fits.

Jean had a somber expression. “Yea, and you couldn’t get it right the first five times because you were laughing so hard. “, he touched his face, the nose luckily not bearing any signs of being broken anymore. “You managed in the end though, have to give you that. “

When the laughter on Eren’s part finally died down, he wiped his eyes. “That’s a great story Jean, but what is the point? “The other man groaned in frustration. Eren was really dumb while drunk.  
“The point is, that someone who punches people for touching her will hardly break out of a long relationship and go on to sleep with random people in Europe. “

Oh right.

Eren hand missed the glass he was aiming for, knocking it over. Luckily for everyone involved, it was empty once again. “I can’t really blame you though. “, he said, suddenly serious. “She does have a great ass. “  
Jean sighed once more, finishing his own drink and setting it back on the wood with a knock.

“She sure does buddy. “

 

“Welcome to my palace of loneliness. “, Eren said, opening the door and almost falling while doing so. He stumbled over the doorstep, diving head first into the couch with a groan. Jean stepped in behind him, looking around. It was a nice house, tastefully decorated. He shifted his eyes back to his friend, seeing him tear off his jacket and throw it somewhere. He felt responsible for making sure that he will get home safely, after the amount he drank. Back in the college it would be impressive, now it was slightly worrying. He licked his lips, feeling that he should offer some help. After all, that’s why Hange wanted him to come in the first place.

“Look, don’t you have a life even without her? “, he asked, gesturing around. “I’m not saying that she won’t come back, but there is always the possibility of her leaving for good. You should like, be prepared you know. “

“I have a life. “, Eren closed his eyes, letting his head fall on the cushions. “But she is making it worth living. “His voice dropped in a whisper, and Jean had to strain his ears to understand. “She is the only reason to come home. “

“Maybe you should call her you know, tell her these things. Fight for her. Tell her how much u miss her and… “

A loud snore interrupted him. Eren was sleeping, so all his advices fell on a pair of literally deaf ears. Great. Jean shrugged. Well, he did what he could. Making sure that his friend was really dead to the world, he put his hand in his pocket, feeling the small device there, a grim expression appearing on his face. He had one last thing to do before he could leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, new chapter is out, so i recommend that you guys get to it as soon as possible.
> 
> Till next time!


	22. Expect the unexpected pt.VII

Mikasa danced a few steps back, trying to shake the ringing sound out of her ears. In front of her, the other girl snarled, advancing towards her prey. Levi was shouting something, some advices perhaps, but his voice was completely lost in the roar of the arena. People were hyped. And honestly, it was no surprise to anyone. The match was good, aggressive, with the advantage changing sides in seconds. The woman Mikasa was fighting was good, very good in fact, with a similar style to her own. She relied on punches and kicks, and her right hook was mean, as Mikasa discovered just a few seconds prior. Her fist made it through the block, connecting with the side of her head, making her see stars. And not in the good way. Advancing, her opponent threw another jab her way, testing her. Mikasa batted it aside, trying a low kick, but it got blocked. They circled each other, with the crowd cheering them on and the referee watching carefully. This was it, Mikasa thought to herself, they were both battered and bruised, the next successful attack will end it. Another step, another breath. The air was thick with anticipation, and every time she inhaled, Mikasa could feel pangs of pain from her bruised ribs. The other fighter saw it, saw the way she limped, raising her fists and going in for the kill. The dark-haired girl scrambled her brain furiously, trying to remember something, anything, that will help her turn the tide, because it looked very grim from where she was standing. 

 

“Punching, kicking, you know the drill. “

Mikasa nodded, landing another hit on the training bag, making it sway. Levi tapped his pen against the list he prepared, frowning.

“She doesn’t really have a signature move or anything, something you can use against her. But there is an interesting piece of info about her. “He circled a line with the pen, making it stand out against the others.

“She’s ambidextrous. “

 

She was going for it, it was plain to see. The way her muscles tensed as she closed the distance, her right-hand crooking slightly to support the strength of the punch she was about to throw. Block it, screamed her instincts, but Mikasa forced them down. No, this was way too telegraphed. There is more going on here. She risked a quick look at the footing of the other girl. The stance was good, balanced, but something was off. Yes, there it is. She was leaning left a tiny bit, as if the blow would come from that side, not the right one she was obviously preparing. A bluff then. Of course, any fighter could hit with both hands, you didn’t need to be ambidextrous to do that. But this one in particular was very fond of using her hands evenly, raining blows from all directions, giving her opponents no time to recover. Decision time then. If she didn’t block the right punch, it would connect, and if she was wrong and her opponent was going all-in on the jab, she would get knocked out. If she was right however, she would be in prime place to parry the left-hand hit which she was guessing would follow and could win the fight from that. There she was, coming close enough so she could almost feel her hot breath spilling over her exposed skin, the punch flying true. Gritting her teeth, Mikasa ignored it, preparing her hands for the follow up. It landed on her ribs, sending waves of pain through her whole body, making her eyes water. But there it was. The left one followed, much stronger, bearing the weight of her opponent’s whole body behind it. Ready for it, she batted it aside, stepping inside the zone she created and landing her own sequence of hits. One, two, three. All punches connecting, it made the other girl stumble back, before doubling over and falling on her face. The referee jumped in immediately, checking up on her. And then the whistle went off and the arena exploded. Mikasa felt someone grab her hand and raise it up high, declaring her the winner of this bout. She allowed herself to breathe, feeling relief wash through her body. It was over. 

 

“Can you feel this? “

Mikasa bit back the insult and nodded. The medic moved her hand a tiny bit left, before pressing again, repeating the question. The check up was regular, after every fight they had to get medical expert to see if they suffered any lasting damage on their bodies. Safety was important, after all. Yet she had to fight the urge to flinch away from her touch, because her fingers somehow felt cold on her skin. The woman is just doing her job, for god’s sake, she thought to herself. Pull yourself together. But it wasn’t so easy. She was used to Eren doing the checkups on her. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she began imagining that its his hands gliding gently over her bruises, bringing back the memories when they were not so gentle, when they gripped and… 

“Miss Ackerman? “, Mikasa’s eyes shot back open, taking in the medic who had a slightly disturbed expression on her face. Guess she wasn’t used to people daydreaming on her. “Does this hurt? “, she repeated, pressing gently against her ribs. 

“N-No, I’m fine, thank you. “

The doctor gave her another puzzled look, before walking over to Levi and saying that Mikasa got nothing broken, just bruises. When she left, the silence got awkward slightly, as the black-haired girl was furiously fighting down the blush that threatened to spread over her cheeks. 

“So…Uhm... You need something? “, Levi asked, scratching the back of his head.

When she shook her head, he looked like he wanted to add something, but thought better of it and followed the medic outside to give Mikasa privacy. Once alone, she breathed slowly, calming her heartbeat and pulling her shirt over her head to change. She was fine, right?

 

“Just one more to go. “, Levi tapped a pen to the paper of his notebook, “One last fight. If you win, we walk away as number one. That would be great, wouldn’t it? “

Mikasa nodded absently, chewing her food slowly, her eyes scanning the other guests of the restaurant. 

“I don’t have much info about this one either, but she will have the support of the home crowd here. “, Levi nodded to himself, “She is a local after all. “

Putting his notes down, he looked at his sister, his brows furrowing. 

“What? “, she asked, irritated by the way he looked at her “Something on my face? “

“No, I’m just… “, he cleared his throat. He wasn’t good at this. But he could see the way she kept torturing herself, the way her eyes got dreamy when she thought no one else is looking. He knew that she couldn’t stop thinking about him, and it was tearing her apart. He had to try to help, he cared about her after all. She was the last remaining member of his family. All he had left.

“Look, Mikasa, I want to make sure that you know I’m here for you, okay? Whatever happens. “

“Okay… “¸she repeated slowly after him, having no idea where he was going with this.

“I just thought, I just thought that this was supposed to be a clean break, you know. That it’s over between you and him, for good. “

Mikasa looked surprised a bit, Levi wasn’t the one to talk about her affairs out of the blue, he understood privacy better than anyone. She didn’t know that under all his icy demeanor he cared, and he cared about her a lot. 

“I know that it’s not really my place to say, but you have to let go. If its over, then its over, stop clinging to the past. “, he pointed to her hand, where the ring still sat snuggly on her finger. “You should get rid of that thing if you want to move on. It’s best for everyone. “

She looked down. Honestly, she just kind of forgot about the ring, she was wearing it for so long that It felt natural on her. But Levi was right. It was over between her and Eren, wasn’t it? They didn’t talk for months, she had no idea what he was doing. He probably moved on anyway. Slowly, she pulled the ring off, putting it in her pocket. Why did it hurt so much, she couldn’t tell. Looking back at her brother, she gave him an encouraging smile. 

“Let’s win this tourney and be done with it. “

 

Once again inside the ring. Levi was right about the local support, she could tell. The audience was cheering the other girl on, while every hit Mikasa landed was met with booing and rude shouts. She was an invader here after all, coming from America to steal the home cup for herself. Put it out of your mind, ignore it, Levi told her before the match. This was it, the grand finals, she had to win. Any distraction could put her off, force her to make a mistake. Breathe in, breathe out. Calm, peace. She scanned her opponent, looking for signs of weakness and finding none. So far, they were simply circling each other, looking for openings. She was a grappler, Mikasa could say, relying on getting her prey on the ground and forcing them into submission. It was a dangerous style to fight, especially because her own was based around punches and kicks, keeping your enemy at a distance. If she allowed herself to be grabbed, it would be over soon. 

Just a few months back, grapplers were her worst nightmare. Sure, she could beat them, but they were the most dangerous breed she faced. Then she met Annie. Being a grappler herself, she relied on throws, and as Mikasa painfully found out during their first meeting, she was damn good at it. But after the things that happened, and the friendship the two of them formed, their training together proved to be an invaluable source of experience for them both. Now, she knew that to do. Faking a misstep, she swayed a bit, creating an opening. And the other girl took it. Charging in, she locked her hands around Mikasa’s waist, doing her best to force her down on the ground. She was mightily surprised when her target went down willingly, quickly combining the force of the contact with her own strength, rolling with the hit and swapping their position. Before she realized what was happening, she was held in an unbreakable hold, and no amount of twisting got her out. A whistle cut through the silence. The arena didn’t make a sound. It was over. Mikasa won.

 

“An interview? Now? “, she could hardly believe the timing. They didn’t even given a chance to freshen up, before a man came barging in announcing that they have ten minutes before the press comes in. 

“Well you just won one of the biggest tourneys there is, of course that they want a few words from you. It will be short I promise, just a few questions. “, Levi looked at her, concerned, “Or I can tell them to fuck off if you don’t feel like it. “

“No. No, it’s okay. I’ll be fine. “, she forced herself to smile. “I’ll be fine. “

The reporter that showed up was a small wiry man with a ready smile and pleasant attitude. The initial nervousness Mikasa felt washed away, as he asked her easy questions, things about her training, her thoughts on the fighting scene and other stuff that were related to the sport. Just when they were about to wrap it up however, he checked over his script, and then looked back at her, the grin never leaving his lips. 

“For the last question, we couldn’t help but notice that you recently lost the engagement ring from your finger, is something happening that you would like to tell us about? “, his tone was easy, the practiced one of a journalist, but the words were like ice daggers into Mikasa’s heart. “I’m sure that our readers would like to know if you were single, the suitors would be lining up! “He laughed, but it did nothing to lighten her mood. 

“I... I... Well… “, she didn’t know what to say. All the insecurities and questions she managed to push down and ignore with the grand finals looming over her were back in force, probing at her mind. Luckily for everyone involved, Levi took notice, stepping in.

“Excuse her, but she is very tired, and we have to go now. “, he came close, putting a protective arm over her shoulders, and guiding her out of the door. 

Even with her back turned, she could feel the piercing gaze of the writer on her back. Yea, she didn’t feel like she handled it very well in the end.

 

“We fly out in two days. “, Levi said from his computer, clicking a few times before looking up. “Unless you want to stay longer? “

Mikasa shook her head. 

“Two days is fine, I want to be back home. “

He shot her an inquisitive look. “Do you really? “

“I… I don’t know. “She sighed, hugging her knees on the hotel bed, staring at the trophy on the nightstand. “I just don’t know what to think anymore. “

“Look, “he said, “I can offer you advices all I want, but in the end, this is your life. You have to decide for yourself what you want to do. But I just want you to know, that whatever your decision is, I will support you. Hundred percent. “

She offered him a tiny smile, and he smiled back before focusing back on the screen. He was right, it was her life, her decision. But what will it be, she had no idea. And the return home was shadowing over her like an executioner’s axe. 

In the end, was she really fine?


	23. Expect the unexpected pt.VIII

“Mommy, what’s that on your wrist? “

The woman’s face was shadowed, her features blurred, but Mikasa somehow knew that it’s her mother. She had a warm smile when she crouched next to the young girl, extending her hand so the sun glided over her wrist. The tattoo was there, black against the pale skin, an intricate symbol. 

“It’s a mark of our family, sweetie. “, she ruffled Mikasa’s hair with the other hand, making her giggle. “It reminds us that we are never truly alone, we always have each other. Once you are old enough, you can get your own. “

“I will, mommy. “, she slid her fingers over the black lines, her expression dreamy, “It’s so pretty. “

The scene changed.

It was dark, the air thick with the unnatural smell of blood and gunpowder. Young girl was crouching next to the lifeless bodies of their parents, her small hand gripping the wrist of her mother. She remembered the body being warm when she first took hold, but hours passed, and the coldness of death has spread through them, making the skin she held feel like ice to the touch. She could still make out the lines of the tattoo in the moonlight, but this time, it brought her no joy. 

“Mommy wake up. “, she tried again, but even as young as she was, she knew it’s no use. “Wake up, please. “

 

Mikasa woke with a gasp, sitting up in the bed. It took her a moment to take in her surroundings, the hotel room tranquil in the night. Looking left, she could make out Levi’s shape on the other bed, sleeping the night away, but for her it seemed that the rest was over. She hugged her knees, drawing them closer to her chest. Take deep breaths, calm your heart. She was no stranger to nightmares. The tragic events of her childhood provided a steady supply for her mind to create a series of very unpleasant dreams, and she never truly managed to fight them off. Pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes, she focused on her breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale…

 

“Eren. “, she poked him again, “Eren, wake up. “

His eyes slowly opened, and his gaze went over the surroundings before settling on her. 

“Can’t sleep? “, he asked, somehow managing to sound okay with being woken in the middle of the night. 

She nodded, still feeling a bit guilty for dragging him into her problems, but he asked her to wake him if the nightmares came again. So, she did. He sat up, running a hand through his ruffled hair. 

“You think you can fall asleep if we talk? “, he asked. 

Normally she would say yes, and they would cuddle until the tiredness overtook her again, but this dream was particularly nasty, and the remnants of it were still lurking in the dark corners of their bedroom. Seeing her shake her head, he nodded, offering her a supportive smile before climbing from the bed.

“Where are you going? “, she asked, seeing him stretch and yawn, fighting away the tiredness.

“If we stay in the bed, I’ll fall asleep again. “, he said, gesturing for her to follow, “Let’s go, I’ll make you a breakfast. “

“At three in the morning? “

He shrugged. “Why the hell not? “

As she sat at the table, watching him prance around in kitchen, she couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit bad for him. She usually handled her problems herself, but last time when he found out in the morning that she couldn’t sleep and didn’t wake him to help her, he was really upset. Eren usually didn’t get angry over anything, but her “acting invincible” as he called it seemed to get on his nerves. You are not alone, he kept telling her, you can rely on me. Well, she did this time. She offered to help him in the kitchen, of course, but he just kissed the crown of her head and told her to sit down. 

“Here you go. “, he said, sliding her a plate full of his creations.

“Pancakes? “

“Chocolate chip. “, Eren said, winking at her and sitting down to his own portion.

“Oh my god. “, she sighed around a mouthful, “I love you. “

He just chuckled. They ate mostly in silence, and Mikasa could feel the last fingers of the nightmare receding. The coldness left, replaced by the usual warmth she felt when they were together. “Thank you. “, she whispered when they finished, leaning over the table to kiss him. Eren smiled, standing up and collecting their plates.

“Anytime. “

 

Mikasa finally managed to control her breathing. The hollowness the dream left behind remained, and when she let her hands fall from her face, she noticed the wetness on her palms. She didn’t even realize that her eyes had tears in them, but if they were caused by the nightmare or the memory, she couldn’t tell. You brought this on yourself, whispered the voice inside her head. It’s better this way, she argued, trying her best to silence it. I can handle my problems. I don’t need anyone, I’m strong enough. Hugging her knees again, she focused her eyes on the trophy, glistening in the moonlight, too afraid to close her eyes again. I don’t need help, she murmured to herself. Yet the words somehow felt hollow the moment she said them. Unable to fall asleep, she watched as the moon was replaced by morning sun. 

 

“God damn it. “, Eren swore, watching Jean’s character, Jack-7, do his victory dance on the screen. “I was so close to beating you this time. “

The winner took a casual sip of his beer, smirking. Eren still didn’t understand why he was spending time with him. Jean could be doing literally anything, or rather anyone, right now. With the way he looked, he could have any girl he wanted, but for some reason he preferred to be with his failure of a friend. Eren appreciated it. Finally, there was someone he could talk to, apart from Hange and her crazy questions or colleagues at work. So yeah, it was fun, even when it meant getting his ass kicked in Tekken.

“Let’s go again. “, he said, draining his beer and hitting the rematch button. Just as Jean was about to accept, his phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket.

“Yeah? “, he said, listening for a moment before looking at Eren. “He’s here. Yep. Okay. We’ll be there. “

He hung up, standing. 

“Let’s go. “

Eren blinked, surprised. As far as he remembered, they had no plans for today.

“Go where? “

Jean just shrugged, grabbing his coat. “You’ll see. “

Overcome by curiosity, he followed his friend outside, determined to find out what was going on.

 

Connie watched his girlfriend cautiously, as she pulled herself from the wheelchair again, gripping the rails. Her knuckles were bleeding white, and she was breathing hard, sweat sticking her brown hair to her skin. She was going over limit again, but every time he reminded her she just batted it aside. Connie was prepared to do a lot of things for her, he knew that people reacted differently when they were struck by a tragedy such as this one. She could close herself off to the world, become angry at everyone, or mask her loss by pretending to be happy. Yet none of those predictions came true. Sasha was, to everyone’s surprise, genuinely okay with what happened. The therapist she was assigned gave up after three sessions, saying that she has nothing to fix mentally. The crippled girl was hard-working, determined, and above everything else, grateful. Grateful that she survived, that she got another shot at living, that her life didn’t end because of some kid’s itchy trigger finger. And she was still determined to make her legs work. Running out of stamina, she swayed, and Connie quickly stepped in, helping her ease back into the wheelchair. She thanked him with a warm smile, before taking her water bottle and taking measured sips, relaxing her muscles. Suddenly, her phone rang. Before her boyfriend could react, she wheeled over to it, picking up.

“The fastest runner in the state, Sasha speaking. “

She listened intently, before her face lit up, and she nodded vigorously. 

“We can’t wait! Of course, that we will come. Ok? Thanks, bye! “

She shifted her gaze at Connie, who as usual had no idea what was going on. 

“I’ll need you to help me dress, we are going out. “

Sure, he could ask, where, why, and with who, but he knew her well enough to know that she won’t tell him until she wants to. So, he sighed instead, following her out of the door. 

 

Armin was fidgeting nervously on the chair, watching Annie sprawled on the bed with the papers in her hand, eyes gliding over the lines of text. He usually didn’t have a beta reader, but when she offered he accepted readily. As he found out, Annie loved reading, and her insight into his chapters was usually very good. Plus, it was a nice couple activity, if you thought about it.

“So, what do you think? “, he asked, when she finally put the newest addition to his book down.

“I have just a one question, “, she said, “Did you use me as an inspiration for that newest character? “

Damnit, was it really that obvious?

“Maybe? “, he tried nervously. What if she doesn’t like being in the story? He should have asked her permission before writing her in. Did he fuck everything up?

Annie shifted on the bed, coming closer before leaning in and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

“Thank you, I love it. “

Armin felt a rock fall from his shoulders.

“How did you discover it anyway, is it really that easy to see? “

She shrugged.

“I’m hardly the first one of the people you know that you used. The main hero, that’s Eren, right? The genetically enhanced super soldier who is guarding him must be Mikasa. And the grumpy captain is Levi. There are probably more, but I didn’t catch them yet. “

Okay, she was spot on with everyone. Perhaps he has underestimated her intuitive powers. He smiled, thinking about to say, but the ringing of his phone interrupted his thoughts. 

“Yea? Oh… Well, I mean, we can come if you really want us to. You know what, ill ask Annie and see what she thinks about it. Okay. “

He took a deep breath after hanging up, watching Annie’s curious expression.

“You probably won’t like this. “

 

Ymir could say that her day was going rather well. Sure, the activity was dull, but Krista managed to turn even something as usual and boring as shopping into a good time. She constantly moved, from one aisle to the other, picking out things and returning them or taking them to the cart Ymir was dutifully guarding. The tall girl was smiling, watching her tiny girlfriend move around, as if she owned the place, her blonde hair swaying. Her quiet admiration period was interrupted by her phone, however, and she angrily took it out before seeing the caller’s name. That put a smile back on her face.

“Hey crazy eyes, what do you need? “

 

Jean didn’t say a single word as they walked, and Eren’s anticipation was rising steadily. They rounded a corner, and suddenly they were in the middle of a rather large crowd. There was Connie, Sasha in her wheelchair, Ymir, Krista, Armin and even Annie. The last person present was Hange smirking as she saw him. 

“What is this about? “, he asked cautiously, when the eyes of everyone almost immediately settled on him.

“A friendly supportive group of your friends, “, replied the scientist, “We are going out together! Exciting! “

Right. 

But why the hell not, he argued with himself. If Jean is going, he will just spend the rest of the evening wallowing in self-pity anyway. Defeated by his own sound logic, he gestured for her to lead on, which only widened her smile. They fell into a column behind her as she guided them forward, clearly the only one who knew where they were going. Eren expected a lot of things. What he didn’t expect, was finding out that their destination was a rather luxurious looking strip club. 

“What the hell? “, he asked, looking around to see that no one was as surprised as he was. “You knew about this? “

Armin shrugged. “She told us where we are going. I mean, what’s the harm, right. “Despite all his bravado talk, Eren noticed the nervous looks he kept throwing Annie’s way, who had the expression of a statue. 

“Come on, we can talk inside! “, called Hange, not breaking her stride towards the entrance. Surprising everyone, Sasha was the first to follow, excitedly wheeling herself behind her. The rest of the group followed, sooner or later. At the entrance, the bouncer perked up when he saw Hange, smiling.

“Miss Zoe! So good to see you again. “, he looked them all over with a critical eye. “Quite the crowd you brought this time. “

“These are all my friends, I can guarantee their good behavior. “, she waved her hands at them, grinning. The bouncer only nodded, stepping aside and letting them pass, only sparing a surprised look at Sasha as she moved past him. Eren sighed, being the last one to enter the dimly lit interior. He had no idea what Hange cooked up this time, but knowing her, it was something rather embarrassing. 

 

“You’re sure you don’t want to come? “, Levi asked, checking if he had everything essential in his pockets. Mikasa shook her head. She didn’t really feel like going into a bar. For her brother, it was a custom of sorts. Every time he won something, he went out for some drinks. He never got wasted or anything, but he simply liked getting buzzed occasionally, and this was a perfect opportunity to do so. “All right. If you change your mind, you know where to find me. I’ll save you a seat. “, with a last nod, he headed out of the door. Mikasa looked around the empty hotel room, standing up after a short while. She didn’t feel like going into a bar, but she didn’t want to stay here on her own either. Well, she could always go for a walk, right?

The city was busy, with lots of people everywhere. She carefully picked her way amongst them, looking around and checking out the displays of the shops she passed. She should buy something to remember her time here by, shouldn’t she? People did that. Yet she couldn’t see anything that would really catch her eye. Until she saw a tattoo parlor. Mikasa stopped dead, watching the establishment with wide eyes. Her dream came back, not just the scary parts, but the beginning of it as well. Mikasa didn’t believe in fate, but this, this had to mean something. She looked at the pale skin of her wrist, unmarked by anything. Perhaps it is a time to make some changes in her life after all. 

 

Eren never was in a strip club before, and to his eyes it looked suspiciously similar to a bar. Only the drinks were more expensive. Oh, and there was a stage with a very attractive young woman dancing around a pole in a very revealing costume. Yep, that was about it. Yet somehow everyone seemed to be having a good time. Ymir and Krista watched the dancer intently, Annie’s icy face seemed to melt a little bit, and she was smiling while talking to still nervous looking Armin. Sasha was swaying in her seat to the beat, with Connie prepared to catch her the moment she overdoes it and slips down. Jean’s eyes kept scanning the room, perhaps looking for the best stripper to buy private dance from. Hange had the expression of ultimate satisfaction, seeing her friends enjoying themselves. Eren seemed like the only one who still had some doubts about her picking this place. Perhaps a bit more alcohol in his system can change that, he thought to himself as he drained the glass. 

Some time later, he was positively buzzed, but it was nothing compared to the rest of the gang. Krista climbed into Ymir’s lap and they started making out, which prompted Jean to finish his drink and leave to get that private dance he wanted, finally settling on one of the girls. Sasha slipped from her chair after leaning too much to the front, but Connie, vigilant as ever, caught her. They ended up in a similar position to Ymir and her girlfriend, although with a considerable less amount of kissing. Guess they weren’t as public as the other pair. 

“You doing okay? “, Hange asked, breaking him out of his trance.

“Um... Yeah, this place is actually pretty good. How did you find it? “

“I come here often, the girls here are amazing for studying purposes. “, she had to almost shout so Eren could hear her over the loud music.

“Studying purposes? “, he repeated after with a crooked eyebrow.

“Yeah. Anatomy and stuff just look at her! “, she pointed to the stage, where the dancer was doing rather impressive moves around the pole. As weird as it would sound to anyone who didn’t know Hange, Eren was kind of sure that she was telling the truth. She was weird like that. 

“It’s pretty good, have to give you that one. “, he shouted back, nodding to her. 

“I have a surprise for you. “, she continued. The way she said it just made his stomach clench a little bit. Surprise from Hange was never a good thing. But before he could do anything she disappeared from her seat, most likely to fetch the said surprise. Eren took a few deep breaths, steeling himself for whatever horror she will throw his way this time. The surprise turned out to be one of the girls from here, and the moment he saw her he knew why Hange picked her. She was Asian, with a satin black hair, and if you squinted hard enough, you could see the similarity to Mikasa in her. God damn it.

“This is Jade. “, Hange gestured towards the girl, who gave him a little wave. “She will show you a really good time if you want. “

Alcohol is one hell of a negotiator. Well fuck it, he thought to himself, why not. A few minutes later, he found himself in the private booth, with curtains drawn and Jade doing her best to make him happy. She was rather impressive, he had to give her that, Hange seemed to know what she was doing. Which made him question just how long she was going here. Probably noticing that his mind is wandering off, Jade slid into his lap, a sexy smile on her pretty face. 

“Now don’t fall asleep on me, handsome. “

“I would never do that. “, he said, mindful to keep his hands to himself. He knew the rules.

“You know, “, she said, tracing his jaw with a finger, “Normally, customers can’t touch us. But I’ll make an exception for you. “

He swallowed, slowly letting his hands circle her waist, touching the bare skin. She grinned at him, moving her hips on his lap, reminding him just how long it was since he actually had any sort of physical contact with a woman. But as his eyes focused on her face, it happened again. His brain automatically started scanning for the features he knew and failing to find them. Her eyes were a bit more slanted, her lips were fuller and redder, not the pink color he knew. There was no scar on her cheek, and her hair was too long, falling a bit past her shoulders. As soon as he noticed those things, it went downhill rather fast. Her arms were thinner, lacking the muscles Mikasa had, and her belly was softer, no abs to be seen. The thighs around his waist lacked the usual strength. He lost it. She noticed it too, her face confused as she looked at him. 

“I’m sorry. “, he murmured, letting go of her, “Please, get off. “

She climbed from his lap, puzzled. Embarrassed, he dug in his wallet, pulling out a hundred-dollar bill and handing it to her. He knew that its way too much, be he was really past caring at this point. Leaving the private booth, he headed straight for the exit, wanting nothing more than just to get home and forget about all these things. As soon as he got out, he heard the door open again, and turning he saw Hange standing behind him, her expression somewhat sad.

“Didn’t work either? “, she asked. When he shook his head, she sighed. “It’s fine, we will find something else for you. “

“Something else? “he laughed at the absurdity of it. “She is back tomorrow, and you want to find something else. “Nah. Fuck it, he was done. “You know what, Hange, it was fun, but I’m done playing your lab rat. You can’t help me. No one can help me. And I don’t give a shit anymore. Have a good night. “

She watched him go, stumbling and falling on a trash can. He picked himself up, swearing loudly, before finally managing to round a corner and disappear from her sight, swaying on his feet. Alone, she pulled out the notebook from her pocket, writing down a quick few lines, before closing it with a satisfied expression. This experiment was going rather well. Turning on her heel, she disappeared back inside the club, letting the light and loud music swallow her.


	24. Expect the unexpected pt.IX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter of this part of the story, hope you enjoyed reading it as much as i did writing it.  
> Next thing i plan on writing are the prompts i got, sorry to keep you guys waiting this long.

Levi stared out of the window, looking at the clouds rolling next to the airplane. He risked a quick peek on the seat next to him. Mikasa was staring at her bandaged wrist again, her eyes having a weird dreamy expression. Somehow, she took notice of him staring, her grey eyes lifting and meeting his gaze. He nodded at her hand.

“Everything okay? “

“Yea, it just itches a bit. “

He nodded.

“Just don’t scratch it. “

She gave him a little smile, but he noticed that it didn’t reach even close to her eyes. 

“Thanks Levi. “

He turned back to the window. Right, that went well. Ever since she came back yesterday with a tattoo on her wrist, she has been oddly fascinated by it. Levi didn’t judge, of course. If she wanted to have half of her body covered in ink, it was her choice and he would respect it. She was a grown woman after all. Levi knew what the tattoo, was, of course he did. It was the same symbol that their mother had on her wrist. If he was being honest, he completely forgot about it, until Mikasa came with the black lines on her skin. It looked nice, he supposed, but he wasn’t really an artsy person, so who was he to judge. His laptop pinged again, signaling another email landing in his inbox. It was another offer, he noticed when he read through it. They were piling up, ever since Mikasa won the tournament. Speaking strictly from the viewpoint of her career, the trip to Europe was a giant success. She proved herself not only as a highly skilled MMA fighter, but also showed that she can work under pressure of foreign environment. It was just two days since her victory, but Levi has already gotten over fifteen offers of sponsorship from different companies. But looking at her, seeing her distorted eyes and tight expression, he couldn’t help but feel helpless. No amount of money was worth seeing his little sister unhappy. 

He tried, honestly, he did. But even with all his supportive talk and attempts to bond closer with her she remained closed to the world. Her coldness was probably partly his fault if he really thought about it. His childhood was normal. He finished his studies, and moved away while Mikasa was still a baby, focused on pursuing his dreams. And everything seemed great for a few years. Then the shooting happened, and he and his sister became orphans overnight. When the officials came, they of course offered to put her into an orphanage. She is a sweet little thing, they said, surely someone will adopt her. He was young back then, well, younger than he is now, and his life was quite a shitshow if he was being honest. There was hardly a place for a kid in it. Yet he told them to fuck off. If his mother has taught him one thing, it was that the Ackerman family stick together, no matter what. And sure, taking care of a nine-year-old did put his own career on hold, maybe fucked him over in the long run, but if there was one thing in his life that he didn’t regret, it was raising Mikasa. But put together his own emotional coldness, and the wounds on her soul, and you made yourself quite a dangerous combination. It was not that he didn’t like her, but he simply didn’t have the time to fill all her needs. So, when he replied, “Not now kiddo.”, for the tenth time when she asked him to read her a bedtime story, she simply stopped asking. Now when he remembered, he felt like an asshole. Groaning internally, he shifted into a bit more comfortable position in the seat. It was a first class, he bought the tickets back when he was riding the high wave of victory after Mikasa’s triumph. The flight was long, so he imagined he might as well catch some shut eye before they land. Maybe the dreams will give him some answer to his problems. 

 

“Hey Ymir, what’s up. “

His freckled friend almost jumped from her seat, stuffing her phone back into her pocket. 

“H-Hi, Eren, not…. Ehm. Nothing. What about you? “, she muttered nervously, fidgeting.

He sat down at her table, putting the cup of coffee in front of him. She seemed off for some reason, her eyes nervously ticking everywhere but his face. It was doubly weird, because Ymir was the kind of person who was never embarrassed. He still remembered when she asked him if he wants to see the nudes Krista send her, and till today he wasn’t sure if she was joking or not. 

“Come on, what’s happening. “, he smiled in the most comforting way he knew, trying to ease her into telling him. He might not look like it, but he did enjoy a good gossip. 

She looked at his face for a moment, before sighing and pulling out her phone again, unlocking it and sliding it over the table to him. “Read. “, she said and crossed her arms. He picked up the device, curious to see what this was all about. It was some article on a sport news site, he noticed, an interview. His heart dropped when he saw the picture of the person answering the questions. It was Mikasa. She looked tired on the photo, sweat still plastered her hair to her face, as the interview probably took place right after the match. He scanned the text. So, she won the Europe tournament, knocking out a fan favorite in the grand finals. The questions were mostly related to the sport, the scene around it and her thoughts about it. It would normally be an interesting read, to be sure, but he wanted to see what put Ymir into such an embarrassing position that she didn’t want to show the article to him in the first place. There it was, at the end of the page. An editorial note of sorts. 

It said: For the last question, we asked Miss Ackerman about the recent disappearance of her engagement ring from her finger. She seemed flustered, and didn’t answer us, which led to her manager stepping in and ending our interview right here and there. Now I might not be an expert on such things, but I have seen enough break up stories to see one happening right in front of my eyes. So, ladies and gentlemen, if you are interested in this captivating rising star of fighting sports, now is your chance!

He inhaled, slowly, around the lump that formed in his throat. 

“Eren, “, Ymir moved a bit closer, covering his hand with hers and giving it a squeeze, “I’m sorry. I had no idea. “

“No, it’s… It’s hardly your fault. “, he gave her the phone back, trying his best to force a brave smile to appear on his lips. “I’m fine, really. We kind of… fell apart. It’s no big surprise. “

She scanned his face, trying to decipher it. It finally made sense, why Eren felt so off lately. Ymir wasn’t angry that he didn’t tell her, of course not. It was their personal problem, she had nothing to do with it. But she could feel his pain, it was almost radiating from him. 

“You want me to talk to Erwin? To give you the rest of the day off? “, she asked.

He shook his head vehemently. “No. I’m fine, I’ll just finish my coffee and go back to work. “

As much as she would love to stay and chat, there were people waiting to be treated, so with a last squeeze, she let go of his hand and stood up, making her way out of the room. Eren forced his hands to stop shaking and finished his coffee. So, they were right. Jean, Hange, all of them who said that he had to accept the reality. It truly was over between them, when she announced it so publicly, there was no other way. He thought that he already gave up a long time ago, but he was lying to himself. Even after all this time, he kept a little hope alive, that maybe she will come back to him, that everything will be all right once more. But that flame was just snuffed out. Life goes on, his mom used to say, and she was right after all. Earth won’t stop turning because of one failed romance. Picking up his empty mug, he followed Ymir out, back to work.

Hange offered to take them both from the airport, but he said he can handle it. After all, Mikasa’s stuff were still at his house, she needs to pick them up anyway. Staring at himself in the mirror, he tried to smile, to practice, but every twitch of his lips felt as hollow as he felt inside. It will get better, he promised himself. Time heals all wounds. Eren ran a hand over his freshly shaven face, gritting his teeth a bit. Soon. He looked at the clock on the wall, noticing that he had to get going soon if he wanted to reach the airport in time. I won’t beg, he promised himself. If she doesn’t want me anymore, it's fine. Relationships must work both ways, if she doesn’t love him anymore, then it’s over. It will hurt, sure, but it's better to cut it than torture each other in an unhappy household. Maybe, he thought to himself, maybe it’s time to let go. 

 

They were landing, the plane jolting a bit when they dropped on the ground. After the customary captain’s words, the door opened, and the passengers started exiting. Levi stood up, noticing that Mikasa still didn’t take her eyes away from her hand. 

“Levi, would it be okay if I moved in with you for some time before I find my own place? “, she asked out of nowhere. 

The question took him a bit by surprise, but the answer was easy enough. “Of course, as long as you need. “. She nodded at that, standing up herself and making her way out of the plane, followed by her brother who was silently gritting his teeth. There has to be something he can do, something to say. But what?

“Mikasa! “, he called out, making her stop and turn with a cocked eyebrow. “You…Ehm… “, he gulped in a bit more air, frantically searching for the right words. “You deserve to be happy. Okay? “

She looked at him for some time, before nodding and muttering “Thanks. “, as she turned her back to him again and continued walking. Well, he tried.

Seeing her again after all this time was like a punch in the gut. Eren just stared dumbly as she stood there, reached up to push some hair out of her face, and generally looked everywhere but at him. Hange, who came to pick up Levi, had no such reservations and immediately went to hug her, before letting go and pressing a kiss to her brother’s face, who looked disgusted by such a public show of affection. They didn’t stay long afterwards, with Levi saying that he’s tired from the flight and all but dragging Hange away, while she shouted her goodbyes and that they will talk more soon. And just like that, they were alone together. 

“So… How you doing? “

“I’m great, how about you? “, she smiled a bit, “Did you miss me? “

He almost told her right here and there, just how painful the separation was, but he steeled himself. No. She is the one who left. She took off the ring. It’s over. So instead, he said the biggest lie in his entire life. 

“I didn’t even notice you were gone. “

She looked a bit crestfallen at that, her lips letting out a little “Oh. “, before the awkward silence resumed. They just stared each other down for some time before she decided that standing here will hardly achieve anything. “I already asked Levi If I can move in with him, and he said yes. So, can we go to your place to pick my stuff up? “

“Sure thing. “

The ride was silent, with only the radio songs breaking the atmosphere of a funeral. Eren didn’t even realize, but he was gripping the steering wheel hard enough that his knuckles were bleeding white. Mikasa was looking out of the window the whole time, rubbing the bandage on her wrist from time to time. Probably some injury from the fights, he said to himself, fighting down the urge to ask what happened. It’s not your problem. Not anymore. But when they arrived at his house, the realization that she is here just to pick her things up and leave for good hit him like a truck. 

“Maybe, maybe you could stay for the night, and pack tomorrow? “, he suggested, clearing his throat after, “You are tired, aren’t you? “

“Yeah, I am. “she agreed, “But where will I sleep? “

Oh, there is only one bed. 

“You take the bedroom, I’ll take the couch. “, he held up his hand before she could start protesting. “And I’m not backing down from that. “

Mikasa looked ready to argue for a second, before sighing and agreeing. It felt weird, seeing her move around the house, knowing that it’s probably for the last time in his life. When she came out of the bathroom, wishing him good night, he had to grit his teeth not to lose it again. Instead, he nodded at her, watching her disappear through the bedroom door and close after herself. Alone, Eren sat down at the couch, letting his head drop to his hands. Just like that, the part of his life when he wasn’t alone was over. Tomorrow, he will help her pack and she will disappear forever. The emptiness of the house seemed to mock him, all the dark corners creeping in to remind him just how much of a failure he was. No, he could handle being alone, he was alone for years. That was part of the problem though, after he got the taste of a life with someone he didn’t want to go back. Well, better get used to it again, he said to himself, lying down on the couch. 

Life will go on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....or is it?


	25. Expect the unexpected pt.X

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most of you surely guessed, I lied.

He couldn’t sleep. 

And of course, he couldn’t sleep, why was he even surprised. The reason of his three months of suffering was literally just a few meters away, resting peacefully for all he knew. Eren rolled over, for what felt like a hundred time already, groaning. The coach was comfortable enough, he knew that, but somehow, he just couldn’t find a position that would let him drift away into oblivion. This is useless, he decided. Eren sat up and threw his legs off the improvised bed, standing up and stretching. So, sleep seemed out of the question for now. What else could he do? His eyes caught a shimmer, as the moonlight reflected from the bottle of whiskey he had on the counter. Eren smiled. Perhaps it was time to try Jean’s way of solving things. 

She couldn’t sleep. 

It was the jet lag, must have been. Because for what other reason could the rest possibly evade her? She was tired, she could feel it in her bones. The bed was also comfortable, she slept in it hundreds if not thousands of times. Mikasa sighed. Maybe she just wasn’t used to sleeping in it by herself. She sat up, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the mattress as she started picking on the bandage on her wrist mindlessly. Well if she couldn’t sleep, what could she do? Eren probably wouldn’t appreciate if she started packing in the middle of the night. A thought struck her. She could go for a run. The city was always eerily tranquil in the darkness, with no one else but the moon to accompany her. Yeah, she could do that. Mikasa stood up and made for the door, fully intent on exhausting her body until sleep is the only thing it is capable of doing. 

She made her way down the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. Eren was sleeping, and it would be rude to wake him just because she can’t keep her own eyes closed. All of her sneaking skills proved to be useless however, because as soon as she reached the bottom of the stairwell, a familiar voice broke the silence.

“Can’t sleep either? “

Mikasa almost jumped out of her skin, and she clutched her chest, her heart hammering against her ribs violently.

“Eren! You scared me. “, she looked around, locating a shadow sitting at the kitchen counter. “Why are you here in the dark? “, she asked.

“Oh. I guess I forgot to switch on the lights. Sorry. “, there was a sound of a glass being picked up and then put back on the wood with a clink. 

She padded over to the light switch, flipping it on. Eren blinked into the invading brightness, as they both slowly adjusted their vision. Now that she could see him clearly, she noticed the bottle of alcohol next to his elbow and the half-full glass in front of him. From the amount left in the container, she guessed that this was his first shot, and he didn’t look all that keen on finishing it. 

“You want some? “, he asked suddenly, jerking his head in the direction of the bottle. Mikasa licked her lips. Maybe this night wasn’t meant for a run. She nodded, slowly making her way over and sitting opposite of him, leaving the counter between them. She needed the distance. Eren slid the whiskey over alongside a fresh glass, before sitting down again and directing his gaze back towards his portion. She poured herself some. Why was this so awkward? All right, so maybe what they had between them was over, but they could remain friends, right? And friends sometimes went out for drinks. Right? Yet she could almost feel the pricking on her skin, and the silence was deafening. It just didn’t feel right. Trying to find something to occupy her hands, she took a sip of the liquor. 

“Oh my god. “, she almost spat it out, her face contorting in disgust. “It's so warm! “

Oh right, Eren completely forgot that she detested alcohol that wasn’t cold. He jerked his head again, this time in the direction of the fridge. “There’s some ice if you want it. “

Mikasa slid from her seat, walking around the counter and to the machine. He didn’t even look up, seemingly fully intent on winning the staring contest against his own glass. When she reached her destination, she lifted her hand to open the fridge, and it unintentionally brushed against his shoulder. God damn it. She looked at him, but the apology died on her lips when she saw that he finally did look up. They were so close, just a few centimeters between them. From this distance she could look deep into his eyes, and what she saw unsettled her. Eren always had a kind of fire in his emerald irises, a burning passion that guided him through his whole life. She saw it burning high and low, depending on the mood he was in, but she never saw it extinguished. Until now. There was nothing, his eyes were like dark deep pits, almost resonating the hurt that they were hiding. And she knew that she is the reason for his suffering because she was broken and flawed, and it never healed properly, making her cold and closed off to the outer world. Mikasa couldn’t’ show off her emotions the correct way, because opening up to people meant the possibility of being hurt by them. Yet she was always strong enough to handle her trouble on her own. Until now. Looking at Eren, who never let her down no matter how many times she relied on him and seeing the pain she caused by being crippled in the way she was, it tugged at her heart. And Mikasa desperately wanted to say something to ignite the fire in him again, find some words to fix what she did, but there was nothing, she drew blank again. But just as she was about to give up and retreat behind her walls again, Levi’s words resonated inside her mind. 

You deserve to be happy. 

Maybe she couldn’t say anything to fix this. But she could try something, there was one way she could use to convey her emotions. Mikasa leaned in and pushed her lips onto his, and in a split-second everything seemed fine with the world again, the familiar warmth filling her with happiness she didn’t feel for months. He tasted faintly of the whiskey he drank, but mostly it was the same lips that she kissed hundreds of times, and it made her feel welcome, and finally at home. That was, until she realized that Eren wasn’t kissing her back, his mouth completely slack beneath hers. A wave of rejection and embarrassment hit her, and she could feel her ears burning bright as she slowly peeled her lips off his, defeated and sad, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. She pulled back, fully intent on making a quick apology and dashing back inside the bedroom, crying herself to a sweet oblivion. He was still looking at her the same way. Yet there was something in the darkness of his gaze now, like a tiny flame that was just ignited, but she was most likely lying to herself anyway. He didn’t want her anymore, it was truly over. 

“I… “

Her back hit the wall with a force that knocked the air out of her lungs, but the yelp was muffled, because Eren picked just that moment to kiss her. Her first instinct was to fight back against the assailant, but she quickly stopped herself and surrendered to the roughness of his lips, to the way his hands gripped her rear in an invitation which she took, jumping up and wrapping her legs around his waist. His body was on fire. Everything that felt fake and forced with anyone else came completely natural to him now that it was her who he was holding up in his arms. He still couldn’t believe what was happening right now. When he saw her coming down in the darkness, pale legs flashing in the moonlight, he quickly redirected his gaze on his glass in an attempt to save himself the embarrassment of getting excited over nothing. Yeah, Mikasa slept with her legs exposed, how rude of her. He was pathetic. But then she kissed him, out of nowhere, and everything came rushing back in an unstoppable stream. And sure, he was too stunned to reprecipitate the push of her lips on his the first time around, but he was surely making up for that now. Mikasa wasn’t just taking it, she never was. She was kissing him back with as much fervor as he was, her tongue hot and heavy on his, as they battled for dominance. This was exactly what he looked for in the others, and here was the real thing, just so much better than anyone else. Eren could feel her hand on his jaw, angling it to deepen the kiss, while the other gripped the back of his shirt, her legs keeping a strong lock on his waist, making the effort of holding her up quite easy. When they finally broke away from each other because breathing is important after all, they both just took a moment to stare. Her face was flushed, the usual paleness making the red of her cheeks standing out even more. 

“We… “, he took a deep breath, slowly putting together the sentence he wanted to say, with his brain fogged. Sure, kissing was really nice and all, but what did it mean? He went to bed thinking that he will help her pack in the morning, but here they were, on each other like a plague, while he was getting more and more confused by the second. “We should talk. “

“We can talk. “, she said, the hand on his back slowly making its way up until she reached the thick of his hair, where it gripped and tugged backwards, hard, angling his head upwards. “Later. “The word had a ring of finality to it, and when she kissed him again, roughly, he decided that whatever they need to solve can wait, because right now he had more important things on his mind. And when her teeth tugged at his bottom lip, he couldn’t help but groan, deep in his throat, because this was everything he dreamt of and more. He didn’t know for how long they were like this, a kiss after kiss, neither of them wanting it to end, but then Eren felt her legs tighten around his waist even more, as she rubbed her heat against his crotch, reminding him that there is more to her body he needs to pay attention to. But while she seemed completely happy if they would just jump straight to it here, in the kitchen, Eren didn’t want to. If she really wanted him, if they would go all the way, they would do it properly. 

“You, want to do more? “, he asked, and when she nodded eagerly he couldn’t help but grin. “Let’s go to bed. “, he said, ignoring the voice of his body that screamed at him to just lay her down on the kitchen counter and bury his head between her thighs. Mikasa nodded again and tried to jump down to walk on her own, but he only tightened his grip on her. She was a bit surprised by how easily he carried her up the stairs. Sure, he could pick her up, but she definitely wasn’t light, the muscles of her body made sure of that, and the distance was rather long. But when they reached their destination, Eren somehow wasn’t even winded. 

“Been working out? “, she asked, squeezing his upper arms, feeling a fulness that perhaps wasn’t there before.

“Not much to do with you gone. “, he replied with a smile, laying her down on the bedding, gently for a change. 

Eren straightened just to tug his shirt off, throwing it away, and when he looked back he saw that Mikasa had already followed suit, her bare skin glistening in the moonlight. He sucked in a breath. Yea, he wasn’t ready to be hit right in the face with the glorious sight of a topless Mikasa after three months of celibacy. But she wasn’t the one to just sit and stare, so after a few seconds of him not doing anything, as he was stunned by the sight, she reached out and tugged him down, his body falling on top of hers. Their lips crashed together again, and while they kissed her hands roamed around his back, feeling the familiar dips she missed so much. After all their time together, Eren knew exactly what she liked, and soon his lips found their way to kiss her cheeks, feather light touches on her scar, then on her neck, tracing kisses and tiny bites on the skin, drawing an embarrassingly loud moan from her, as she craned her neck to give him more playing field. 

“You. Are. So. Fucking. Beautiful. “he punctured each word with a heavy kiss, marking her collarbones with his teeth. And even when he told her those exact same words uncountable times already, it still made her feel loved and admired. The first few times she protested when he told her that she is the most perfect woman he ever saw. Because she wasn’t soft to the touch, her arms and legs had too much muscle, her breasts were too small. He laughed at that, saying that none of that matters one bit. And sure, there were others who might not like the way she looked, but to Eren, she was just as perfect as he claimed her to be. As he rediscovered her body, tracing his mouth down the valley of her breasts, he was only reassured in that belief. And yes, her chest may be bit on the smaller size, but her cup always fit perfectly into his palm, which he found downright adorable. They still did, he realized, when he pulled one of her hardened nipples into his mouth, entertaining the other with his hand. The sounds she was making were fueling him on, stroking his already flaming desire, but he didn’t rush anywhere, because for once, they had all the time in the world, and he was fully intent on making the most of it. Mikasa didn’t seem to share his view however. “Eren, please. “, she moaned, as her hips rubbed against him, the scent of her arousal hanging in the air. “Patience, “, he murmured, rubbing circles on her hipbone while moving his lips over her twitching abs. He really did miss those things. 

He paused when he reached the edge of her panties, looking up to see if she changed her mind perhaps, but she raised her hips eagerly to help him take them off, face all red and flush, expectation clear from her expression as she was biting her lower lip. “You want something from me? “, he asked teasingly, kissing his way up from her knee to her inner thigh. “What do you want me to do? “, he asked when she nodded rapidly. “I... I want your mouth. “, Mikasa tangled her fingers in his hair, gently tugging his head down to where she craved him to be, “On me. Please, Eren. “

Who was he to say no when she begged so nicely. She put her legs on his shoulders when he settled between her thighs, lowering his head so he could lick at her center. Her scent, the taste of her, the moans, it all filled his head, pushing out any doubts or insecurities he might have about what they were doing. Because rational Eren was rather sure that having sex instead of trying to solve your troubles was not the right way to go. But rational Eren was gone. So, he pushed his tongue inside her instead, tracing the patterns he knew so well, only withdrawing to replace it with two of his fingers, leaving his mouth free to focus on her clit. He pushed in, stretching her out, while flicking his tongue against the sensitive bud, making her cry out over and over again, sob his name in broken syllables while he pleasured her. Maybe it was the long time since they last done it, or maybe he got even better at this during their break, but Mikasa felt her inside muscles tightening at alarming rate, clutching his hair desperately to keep a grip on the present while the stars behind her eyes kept shining brighter and brighter. Eren scissored his fingers and sucked on her clit, making tears appear in her eyes, blurring her already distorted vision. Mikasa was repeating his name like a mantra, unable to stop herself, but then again, she didn’t really want to. Her voice was rising steadily in pitch, as the pleasure overwhelmed her, white light taking away any connection to reality she had left. He felt her tighten, heard her cry out louder than before, saw the way her hips moved on their own. Wanting to prolong her orgasm as much as he could, he slowed down his tempo, but didn’t stop stroking her, adding to the already overflowing river that she was drowning in. Too much, it was too much, and she told him so, making him withdraw immediately out of her, giving her time to recover. 

Her eyes were still closed when she felt his lips kiss their way back upwards, making a slow journey over her body once more. He nibbled at the underside of her breast making her giggle, kissed the tip of her nose, saying that she looks really cute, before ending up by kissing the sensitive spot behind her ear. 

“You okay? “, he asked, biting her earlobe lightly, the feeling making her gasp again. 

She finally opened her eyes to catch him grinning down at her, the emerald green of his eyes blazing once more. “I’m more than okay, thank you Eren, it was incredible. “, she gestured for him to come closer, so they could kiss again, and she wrapped her hands around him, pressing his body as close as physically possible. The lip lock soon changed into something way more hungry and heavy, and with his body on top of her own, she could clearly feel his hardness pressing into the inside of her thigh. 

“You want to, go on? “, he pulled back to ask, the lust and want in his voice easy to notice. She smiled up at him.

“So, If I would tell you no, you would leave me alone? After eating me out so nicely? “, she teased him, giggling when she saw how he turned red and buried his face in her neck. 

“Don’t say it like that. “, he murmured into her skin, “You make it sound so dirty. “

“But it’s the truth. “, she continued, “You used your tongue on me until I came all over your face. “

He just groaned, ears burning bright red. Mikasa wasn’t the one to talk dirty, but she was riding on the wave of hormones that just flooded her brain, the high it provided better than any drug. But even in her ecstasy, she was sure about one thing. She pulled on his hair to make him look at her, and when he did she rewarded him with another kiss.

“I want you. “, she said, confirming her words by rubbing her wet sex against him. His boxers were off in a flash, and he reached down to guide himself, but she slapped his hand away. “Allow me. “, she whispered, grabbing and giving him a few strokes, enough for his eyes to flutter shut. Enjoying the position of power, it gave her, she continues teasing him, rubbing the tip of his pulsing member against her dripping folds, but not letting him in just yet. 

“Fuck, Mikasa, please. “, he was the one begging now, not able to truly handle the way she pushed him against her clit, the way she moaned right into his ear. Deciding that she tortured him enough, Mikasa hooked a leg around his waist and with a practiced move flipped their position, Eren’s back hitting the sheets with a thud. Not even giving him the time to curse, she took him into her mouth for a few seconds, but he was already on the edge and pulled on her hair lightly, not wanting to finish like this. Understanding, she held him upright and sank down, taking him in all the way in one fluid motion. They groaned in unison, as she settled on him, her hands landing on his chest. He reached out, automatically grabbing her hips to steady her, the motion practiced by all the times they were together. She was in charge now. And he waited patiently, watching her take a few deep breaths to regain her composure. Her body was covered in a thin sheet of sweat, making it glisten, and she looked downright divine seated on top of him, a queen on her throne. Mikasa moved around a bit, finding a better position, while Eren bit back the sounds that threatened to leave his throat. Everything, her every move was a little piece of heaven to him, because she was wet and tight and better than he remembered or ever dreamt of. It was no surprise that his mind fell short when it tried imagining the way she felt around him, because it was too good to even be described by words. Mikasa leaned back, gripping his thighs as she pushed herself up before dropping back down, their hips flush against each other’s. And somehow, this wasn’t just sex. It was their way of communication, because they were both flawed in their own way, making any sort of discussion hard. But every time she moved, every time she pulled herself up before coming back down, it was her own way of apology, and the way he held her was his own version of accepting it. But he was too far, and she was already missing his touch, so she paused to gesture him to sit up, words not available to her at the moment. When he did, she wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling herself as close as possible and continued moving, bringing them both closer and closer to the precarious edge. Her moans were thick and loud, her mouth right next to his ear, and he just couldn’t get enough of it. Before she realized it, up became down and she was on her back again, with him looming over her as he tightened his grip on her hips and thrust into her instead, the force making her eyes roll upwards as her whole face contorted in the intense pleasure he was giving her. He moved slowly but powerfully, lifting her lower body from the bed for the best possible angle. Eren could feel it, her fingernails carving into his back with every move, letting him know just how much she enjoyed his actions. The light was there again, right behind Mikasa’s eyes, growing stronger every time she felt him hit all the right spots inside her. She let her hands fall from his back, gripping the sheets above her head and pulling at them with unsteady fingers. As she felt his teeth sink into her neck, she lost it again. The tightening of her orgasm felt much better around his member than his fingers, and Eren couldn’t hold on for much longer, claiming his own high after a few more deep thrusts.

The release washed over her, making all her muscles contract before relaxing, and she felt like she could just melt into the mattress, feeling the ultimate peace only this could bring her. There were some drops falling on her shoulder, and she thought that it’s just sweat until she opened her eyes and saw that Eren’s had tears in them.

“Why are you crying? “, she asked, reaching out to caress his cheek.

“Please… “, he hated how weak and needy he sounded, but the barrier he built around the pent up hurt inside was broken by the wave of hormones in his brain, and there was nothing holding them back anymore. And before he realized it, the words tumbled out before he could catch them. “Please don’t leave me again. “. Pathetic.

“Come here. “, she whispered, and he let go, falling into her warm embrace. Mikasa nuzzled his hair, breathing in the scent of sweat and sex that lingered. The hurt in his voice surprised her a bit, especially after he acted so indifferent at the airport. But now she could see that it was all a front, his way of acting tough, but the jig was up now and there was no more deception between them. “I love you Eren. “, she whispered, “I’m sorry that I’m so bad at saying it. “ 

When he looked up, the tears were gone from his eyes, replaced by the fire that burned brighter than Mikasa ever saw, and lacking the words to say in this moment, he kissed her instead, relying the “I love you too “in his own, personal way. And she loved it. 

 

She always liked the way he unnaturally radiated warmth. In winter especially, she used him countless times as a very comfortable body warmer. With the draft coming in, and the sweat on her skin growing cool, she pressed herself closer to him, throwing her leg over his and sighing into his chest. His hand was in the dip of her waist, rubbing small soothing circle into her skin, and everything felt right for once. 

“So, you did miss me. “

“Every damn day. “ 

“I’m sorry that I left like that. “

“It’s okay. “, he pressed a kiss to her hair, “You are back now. “

“So, I am. “

She giggled when she felt him trail the kisses back behind her ear again. 

“I guess I won’t have to help you pack in the morning after all. “, he whispered. 

“No. “she tapped him on the chest “But you could help me unpack. “

“I’d love to. “, he replied.

The idea of unpacking brought a certain idea back in her mind. With a reluctant sigh, she let go of him, climbing off the bed and going to her bag, aware of his gaze that drifted all over her naked body. She rummaged through it, finally finding what she was looking for and making a beeline back to him, climbing back up the mattress to show Eren the thing she retrieved. It was the engagement ring, that one that caused so much pain to them both for no good reason at all. Just as she was about to slip it back on her finger, he stopped her, taking it into his hand instead. 

“Mikasa, “, he said, holding it out “You are the light of my life, and if those months showed me anything, it’s that my existence is terribly dull without you. Will you marry me? “

It was way shorter than his first proposal, but right now, it was more than enough. After all, they said what they needed to say by their love making, communicating in a way special to the two of them, this was simply the aftereffect.

“Yes, of course I will. “, she said with a light smile, and he took a gentle hold of her hand as he slid the ring back on, kissing her knuckles afterwards. “What’s that on your wrist anyway?” he gestured to the bandage, the last remaining clothing on her body. 

“Ill show you. “, she said, before toppling him and straddling his waist, a mischievous smile on her lips. She reached down, once again finding him hard and ready for her, and wrapped her fingers around his shaft. “Later. “

Right now, she had more important things on her mind. 

 

If Levi would pick one thing he would never guess to be woken up by, the moaning of a girl would definitely make it top five on his list. He blinked his eyes open, letting out a slightly annoyed sigh. He wouldn’t be surprised if Hange was watching porn just for some kind of dumb research again, making notes into that stupid little notebook of hers. He rolled over to find her with a small transmitter in her lap, drying tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. Was she listening to porn? Whatever, half of the things she did made no sense to him. He was just about to tell her to turn it down a bit, so he can sleep, when the woman in the radio said a very familiar name that immediately woke him. 

“Hange, did the girl just say Eren? “, he asked, suspicion rising with every moan.

“Why of course, “, she sniffed a bit, “Who else’s name should Mikasa be saying. “

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. Don’t get angry. Don’t get angry. Deep breaths.

“Hange, “he asked, carefully spelling out the words not to slip any curses in between them. “Did you bug Eren’s house? “

“What? Of course not! “, she looked offended even by the thought. “I had Jean do it. “

“Hange, why did you bug Eren’s house? “, deep breaths, deep breaths. That was the key. 

“To know what’s going on there, why else? “, she blew her nose noisily, “The things they said to each other, it’s just so sweet! “, she sniffed again, “Like a romantic novel. “

Right.

Levi reached out, plucking the radio from her lap and turning it off with a decisive click, ignoring the expression on Hange’s face, which looked like he just stole her one and only child from her. 

“I can handle a lot of things, but you listening to my little sister getting fucked is not one of them. “, he pointed his finger at her, “First thing you do tomorrow is removing that bug, and I don’t care how you do it. Or I’ll tell them, you wouldn’t want that would you? “

At least she had the decency of looking a bit ashamed now.

“No. “

“Good. Tomorrow, the bug is gone, or there will be consequences. “

He turned his back on the pouting Hange, lying back down, fully intent of going back to sleep as soon as possible. Only when he was sure that she couldn’t see his face, he let a small victorious smile spread on his lips. 

Finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is truly the last chapter for this part of my fic, and i hope you enjoyed it. I would really love if you could leave a few words, to let me know if you liked/disliked this way of wrapping things up, or what did you think of this part as a whole.  
> Next on my list are the requests, so you can look forward to that.  
> Thanks for reading, and until next time!


	26. Roadtrip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the request to try and focus a bit more on AruAni, so I have decided to make a plot focused around them in the continuation of the main story.  
> So, we are moving on!
> 
> Enjoy!

It was Monday, Mikasa realized with a slight scrunch of her nose. The terrifying reality of morning is too much for me to handle, she thought to herself, and kept her eyes closed, snuggling closer to her bedfellow. The unnatural warmth he radiated was comfortable, especially during winter, but in summer she tried to keep her distance from him, only to wake up in the middle of the night tangled around him like a vine and sweating profusely. Right now though, it was just perfect, feeling his chest under her cheek, the arms wrapped around her waist. Flawless. That was, until her improvised pillow started to move. 

“C’mon Mika, I have to get to work. “, said Eren, gently untangling himself from her feeble grasp and getting off the bed. She made a protesting noise from the back of her throat, but he rudely ignored it and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Well, if he wants to go, that’s his problem. She wiggled on the bed, deeper into the covers, still refusing to open her eyes. She was exhausted anyway. After coming back on Friday and having reconciled their problems at night of the same day, Eren gave her the special “welcome home” treatment for the whole weekend. That usually meant the two of them making love in every way possible, only taking breaks when they were too drained to go again. Breaks filled with different activities, ranging from sleeping and eating takeout till Eren’s newest hobby, fighting games.

She’s distracting me, he thought to himself, trying to focus as much as possible on the screen. It was Sunday morning, the sun streaming in through the windows, illuminating the living room. Eren was perched on the couch, while his girlfriend was right in front of him, her back pressing into his chest as he rested his chin on her shoulder. He could feel the silkiness of her hair on his cheek, the firm line of her back leading down just enough for him to feel the curve of her ass on his lap. And that was the only possible reason why he was getting his ass kicked right now. Because this was Mikasa’s third round, in her life that is, and she was already winning. Tekken was a hard game to learn, so it was impossible for her to beat him, right? Eren growled, mashing the buttons a bit harder, but all that was in vain when he got launched and promptly beaten to death. Mikasa’s victorious cheer went up, and she threw her hands high, laughing. She turned her head just enough to look at him and hooked one of her arms around the back of his neck, pressing him a bit closer. 

“Congratulations I guess. “, he said, doing his best not to scowl. His pride got a serious hit right now. First Jean with his stupid Jack-7 abusing, and now this. Cruel is the world of video games.

“Oh, come now. “, she giggled, nuzzling his face, “Don’t be mad. You played well. “Seeing that he was still pouting, she kissed the tip of his nose, before coming closer and pressing her lips to his. Soon the screen was forgotten as the controllers fell on the carpet, with her shirt following, and Eren pushed her up higher on the couch so they could once again engage in their own personal game, which they both enjoyed a lot more than any other.

He was starving for her, all those three months, and now that she was back, he couldn’t let go. As he realized before, he was an addict, and his supply has just returned. It was the same for her too. All the problems, the troubles she was going through, the eternal doubts and dark corners of her mind seemed to evaporate when she felt him drag his lips down her neck, felt just how much he wanted her, needed her. She was happy. Mikasa groaned, rubbing her thighs together, still feeling a faint phantom of ache in her lower regions. Happy, but exhausted. 

She could hear him move around after he came back from the bathroom, getting dressed and ready. Technically, she should do the same, because, as Levi liked to say, the training never stopped. But at the moment, she just couldn’t be bothered. The midget will have to give her a break, she won the cup for him after all anyway. A few days off was just the thing she needed right now. Footsteps came close, and Eren’s breath fanned over her face as he leaned close to kiss her goodbye. The simple peck however quickly turned into something much more, as her hands gripped his shirt and refused to let go. 

“You know “, she slowly opened her eyes, watching his flushed face hover over hers, “I could pull you down, right now. “, she moved her mouth to his ear, dropping her voice into whisper, “And I could tie you to the bed, so you won’t leave. How does that sound? “She ended her sentence with a light bite into his earlobe, grinning when she saw how he shivered. 

“I would love to have you do that. “, he said, “But I wouldn’t put it past Erwin to call a SWAT squad to our house if I don’t show up at the hospital. “, he gently pried her fingers open and kissed her knuckles, whispering “Sorry. “, into her skin, before leaving the room. The door clicked, and Mikasa flopped herself back into the bed, sighing. Well, time to catch up on the sleep then, she thought to herself, rolling over to Eren’s half to leech off the warmth he left behind and closed her eyes again. 

 

“You look happy today. “, said Ymir, watching him over the rim of her cup suspiciously. “Very happy… “

Eren shrugged, doing his best to appear as innocent as possible. “Had a good sleep. “

Ymir’s eyes narrowed, and she was just about to shoot something back, but then her eyes drifted above his shoulder and she kept her mouth shut.

“Eren! “said a new voice. Booming, commanding one. Erwin.

He turned around, forcing a smile to appear on his face. But before he could say anything, the blond man turned his back and beckoned with his hand. “Walk with me. “

He had to race to catch up, the long strides of the older man leaving him in dust. They moved in silence, as Eren knew better than to ask. Once Erwin will have something for him, he will say it. No sooner, no later. Suddenly, the director stopped and turned around, so fast that Eren almost walked right into him. 

“We are going to Japan. “

“Eh? “, was the best answer Eren could muster.

“I have managed to setup a conference there, of sorts, a promotional event, if you wish, for my hospital. “, his bright eyes focused into Eren’s, and he had the feeling the director is looking right inside his very soul. “And you, my boy, you are the crowning jewel. After the stunt you did on Tybur, the rich and powerful have come to admire you. We will use that. “

“I mean… Of course… Sir. But couldn’t you have told me earlier? “

“I called you on Saturday “, shrugged Erwin, “but you didn’t pick up. “

Eren could feel his cheeks coloring. Yea, he was kind of, unavailable the two days. “I’m sorry sir, I was busy. “

Erwin’s eyes drifted down his face to his neck, and while Eren did his best to pop up his collar to hide the bite marks there, very little could be hidden form the director’s piercing gaze. “I see. “, was all he said, not commenting any further. “Anyway, you should go home and pack, the plane is leaving in, “, he glanced at his wrist watch, “three hours. I’ll have you picked up from your house. Chop chop, Eren. “

 

“He will hate me. “

Annie looked over from the driver’s seat on her boyfriend sitting the passenger’s and shrugged.

“Most likely. “

Armin cringed a bit, pressing his knees together to prevent them from shaking. Of course he was nervous. Meeting Annie’s dad after their three months of dating is a big step forward, isn’t it? But judging from what his blonde girlfriend told him, he wasn’t expecting a warm welcome. 

“Oh come on, shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, supportive? “, he asked when the car stopped on red light. Annie kept her eyes on the road, refusing to meet his gaze.

“It’s not you. “, she said. “He dislikes anything I do, if it isn’t related to the sport of course. “She grimaced. “He says that it’s distracting me. “

“Distracting you from what? “

“From becoming the greatest. As is his dream. “, she frowned. “I mean, it’s my dream too, of course. “

Silence reigned in the vehicle for the rest of their journey.

 

“You are kidding, right. “

Eren just shook his head, dragging the zipper of his travel bag closed. He glanced over where Mikasa was sitting on the bed, cross legged, her face a little thunder cloud. “I’m sorry that it’s so sudden, but it’s just a week. “

“And I can’t come? “

“Erwin said that we will be working 24/7 basically, so we will have no time to spend together. If you want to come to explore on your own though, you are welcome to. “

Mikasa frowned even more. “No, not that. “

“How about this. “Eren crossed the distance between them, sitting next to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek, right on the scar. “After I come back, ill get some free time from Erwin, and we can go to Japan again, but together this time. No work. “

She looked up at him, her face brightening. “You promise? “

He grinned at her. “I do. “

 

The dinner was about as bad as Armin expected it to be. Annie’s father, Mr. Leonhardt, was courteous, of course, but he could feel the disappointment from every word he said. When he found out that Armin is a writer and that he doesn’t do any professional sport, his lips pressed together so strongly that they basically disappeared. Yet he kept on drilling Armin, asking about his education, his hobbies and so on, his face darkening more and more with every word the youth said. Annie was eating in silence, the expression on her face unchanging, a stone mask to hide her emotions. When the event was finally over, and she walked him to the door, Armin couldn’t help but wonder what she thought about this.

“So, how did I do? “, he asked, trying to cheer her up.

She flashed him a quick smile. “Good. Better than I expected. “She turned her head back towards the kitchen, chewing her bottom lip. “He will come around. I hope. “

With a quick peck on the cheek and the click of closed doors she was gone, and he was left alone in the night. Armin shook his head, walking back towards the car, turning the conversation around in his head. He just hoped he didn’t do anything wrong. 

 

“Distracting her? That’s crazy. “

“Yea, well, that’s what she said. “

Mikasa stretched on the couch, putting her feet up to find a more comfortable position. She really didn’t do anything today, just played some online matches. Tekken was surprisingly fun. She didn’t even work out or went for a run, Levi would be turning in his grave if he heard that. If he was dead, that is. 

“Armin, are you okay? You sound… down a bit. “

She could hear him bark out a laugh at the other end of the line. “Yea, it’s not that great to know that the father of your girlfriend thinks that you are a waste of her time. “

“Listen, why don’t you, me and Annie grab a lunch tomorrow, we can talk things over. “

“That…That would be great! Thanks Mikasa! “

She smiled, it was good knowing that she made him feel better. “See you tomorrow then. “ 

Armin murmured his goodbye and hung up, leaving her alone once more. She yawned, scratched the back of her neck and looked out of the window on the darkening sky. She had a missed call from Levi, but that didn’t really bother her. If the midget wants something, it will have to wait till tomorrow. Right now, she was about to kick some more ass online.


	27. New land, new discoveries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a shorter one, which I'm totally not using to just tell you guys that ( as most of you already know) the season 3 of SnK anime has started! Get hyped!  
> That being said, enjoy!

Smile, nod, try to look as intelligent as possible. Those were the words Erwin told him as the plane touched the ground. The director was really wasting no time, setting up the first meeting right after their arrival, not caring just how Eren felt exhausted from the long journey. Then again, Erwin really didn’t want him to do anything but sit there, he was doing all the talking. His Japanese was quick and effortless, combined with the lively gesturing of his long-fingered hands, he had the investors completely entrapped. Seeing him weave the words together made Eren question just how many languages the director can use. He knew English, of course, but he heard him talk German and Spanish before too, and now he used Japanese as if it was his mother tongue. It made Eren cringe a bit over his own inability to speak anything other than English. Despite his surname, Jaeger, he didn’t know a spit of German, and his Japanese was just a few words Mikasa taught him, for fun. Her own was rusty as well, because only her mother taught her, when she was little, and after the terrible events followed by her upbringing by Levi, she didn’t know much. He was torn from his thoughts when he noticed everyone staring at him, expecting something. Right, Erwin most likely asked him a question, and he was too wrapped up in his inner monologue to notice. Luckily, the director was quick to save him, brushing the accident off by saying something in Japanese which made the businessmen laugh and promptly forget about it. Oof, he dodged a bullet there.

“Sir, I’m sorry to ask, but do I really have to be here? “, Eren stabbed the piece of sushi with a little bit more force than required, feeling a bit frustrated. The meeting was finished, and the director took him to a restaurant to grab a bite to eat before the next one. “You seem to have everything under control by yourself. “

Erwin chewed the piece of food in his mouth and dabbed the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief before replying. “Depends on who are we talking about. Some will be perfectly okay with me just explaining our situation and showing the footage I brought. “, he paused to take a sip of his drink, “But others, the more careful ones, do require to see you. “, he smiled at his young protégé, “They want to see the goods before moving their money, if you want to put it that way. “

“You make it sound like I’m just some piece of meat, sir. “, he grimaced a bit, “Some kind of high class prostitute. “

“Oh no no no, “, Erwin chuckled, “I believe the gentlemen will not require you to be naked for them, they will just pay outrageous sums of money to have your hands and head work for them. “, He paused for a moment, the piece of sushi frozen in the middle of its way to his mouth. “Then again, some people pay for just the service of a hand or head from a prostitute…. “, He beamed up, his smile widening, “Your analogy is actually perfect, Eren! Very smart! “

Shaking his head, the younger man went back to stabbing his food, while Erwin chewed happily away. That totally made him feel better.   
What did make him happy was finding out that he is not required for the next meeting, so he can take the rest of the day off. 

“Don’t expect this very often, “, said Erwin, checking his watch to see if he still had time, “I was serious when I said that we will be busy all the time. But these guys, I am confident that I can make them see my way just by myself. So, enjoy the beauties of Tokyo, Eren! It is truly a remarkable city! “And with a last wave of his hand, he was gone. 

Following his superior’s advice, Eren did his best to truly see most of the city. He walked through the streets, doing his best to breathe in the atmosphere. It was kind of funny, he thought to himself, watching the people around him. Back in his hometown, Mikasa was always the one standing out a bit, thanks to her Asian features. Here, it was the other way around. He was not the only tourist, of course not, but still, they were the minority here. Rounding a corner, he realized that he should bring her a gift, and his eyes fell on an innocent looking bookstore. Mikasa did enjoy a good read, he thought to himself, and went in, hoping to find something for her. It seemed to be focused on foreigners, since the books there were in English. He mindlessly browsed the titles, but none seemed to interest him, until he came to an R-rated section. Spicy romantic novels and such didn’t hold his eye, but then his fingers closed over something that did catch his full attention. A full guide to Shibari, read the title. Curious, he opened it and leafed through, growing more and more interested by second. Sure, he and Mikasa used ropes before, but never to create something so beautiful as the pictures depicted. It was breathtaking, really, and imagining his girlfriend to be the one in the bondage and not the model made his ears burn red. Yep, this is definitely a book both of them can enjoy to the fullest. Hoping that the cashier won’t think of him as too much of a pervert, he closed the sinful temptation and went to buy it. 

His phone rang as soon as he left the shop, the book safely bundled in a bag. 

“Mikasa? What’s wrong? “, he quickly checked his watch, and after some quick calculation added, “It’s about 4 am for you, right? Why are you up? “

She chuckled softly on the other end of the line. “Yea, it’s really early. I just woke up and… “, he heard her sigh, longing in her voice, “I can’t fall asleep again. I miss you. “

The words alone tugged at Eren’s heart. He missed her too, of course he did. Leaving so soon after the long break they had was damn hard, but sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and follow orders. “Why don’t you tell me about your day? “, he suggested, starting to walk in the direction of the hotel. Suddenly, he felt dog-tired. “Maybe you will fall asleep during that. “He heard the rustle of the sheets on the other end of the line, and he could imagine that she just sat up, hugging her knees and running a hand over the empty half of the bed, where he would normally be sleeping. 

They talked for about a half an hour, exchanging the little nothings they did, much more interested in hearing each other’s voice then to truly discuss something important. She told him about the trouble Armin is having, which made him concerned for his friend, but hearing that Mikasa is meeting him tomorrow made him feel better about it. When she asked him about the meeting, he intentionally talked slow and made it as boring as possible, trying to get her to fall asleep. He was rewarded by the sound of soft snoring on the other side, indicating that he was successful in his mission. 

“Good night Mika, I love you. “, he whispered into the phone, hanging up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, if you know about some good SnK tumblr blogs to follow, please do tell me about them, I am still new to that site, and I would very much like to get to know other people there!  
> Thank you and till next time!


	28. Kiyomi

Mikasa was a bit surprised when she woke up, her sleep addled mind not able to understand why her phone was pressed against her ear. Then she remembered her awakening in the middle of the night, and the call she made, because she couldn’t fall asleep again. She sat up on the bed, yawned and stretched, the morning sun reminding her that the day was already in full swing, and she should get up if she wanted to be a productive part of it. While making a cup of coffee, Mikasa remembered that today she had the lunch with Armin and Annie, to talk about their troubles. That darkened her mood a bit. She hasn’t seen Annie’s dad, ever since their match months ago, but hearing that he was treating Armin like a piece of trash triggered her protective instincts. She hated when someone badmouthed her tight circle of friends.

 

“Come on Annie, focus! “, the blonde girl stood up from the ground after Mikasa knocked her down again, muttering an apology. Mikasa was glad when she found out that Annie is in the gym already after coming in, pulling on the weights with her usual blank expression. But after they faced each other off in the ring again, she could say that something was off. Annie was usually a very hard nut to crack; her defense was on point as well as her offense. But today, everything she did was completely half-hearted, as if her mind wasn’t in it. Her body still moved, the years of training drilled into it, but she wasn’t even trying. Mikasa was just about to ask what bothered her blonde friend, when a new voice cut in. 

“The style! The grace! The strength! This is amazing!”

She turned around, confused, to see that the speaker was an older Asian woman with a stylish dress that suggested working out wasn’t her goal here. She was accompanied by a tall blonde female with a bowl cut, holding a stash of papers in her hand. 

“You are truly the princess of the ring! Queen! Goddess! “, continued the older one, her face flushed with excitement. “You are exactly what we are looking for! “

“I’m sorry, but who are you? “, asked Mikasa, a bit taken back by the praise. 

“Oh, you don’t recognize me? “, she made a dramatic pose, waving her hand around. “Its I! Kiyomi! “

Mikasa shrugged. “Who? “

That seemed to hurt the old woman, who covered her eyes with her forearm, almost as if fainting. “You don’t know me? Yelena! Tell them! “

Her companion stepped forward, explaining in a monotone voice. “Kiyomi Azumabito began her work in the fashion industry when she was fifteen years old. Her designs were immediately praised by the world, and today she owns her own brand and produces dozens of new and exciting pieces of clothing for all occasions. “

“That is all very impressive. “, said Levi, who appeared out of nowhere, as he was prone to do, leaning against a wall nearby, “But what does that have to do with my sister? “

“I have a business proposal, which you both might find very interesting. “, Kiyomi smirked, “Can we perhaps talk somewhere more private? “ 

Levi glared at her for a time, before finally jerking his head in the direction of his office. Kiyomi and Yelena followed him inside, and Mikasa was right behind, leaving a stone-faced Annie in the ring with an apologetic shrug.

“So, what do you want? “, Levi asked once he was sitting behind his desk, with Mikasa standing next to him, arms crossed.

“Cutting straight to the chase, are we? “, Kiyomi smiled, the bluntness of Levi not giving her the slightest of pauses, “Its rather simple, really. “, she pointed at Mikasa. “I want her. “

“You…you want me? For what? “

“Well, for modeling, what else? “, her eyes focused on the girl’s face, and she licked her lips, “I watched you on the tournament, and I thought to myself, this is the perfect body to promote my new line of sportswear. You are hot stuff now, my girl, your victory made you famous. Both you and your manager should be glad that it was me who got to you first, not some shady individual. “

Mikasa couldn’t believe her ears. She? A model? She has never done anything like that before. Levi seemed to keep his cool, interlacing his fingers and watching Kiyomi over the table. “That’s an interesting offer. Why do you want my sister in particular? I’m pretty sure there are plenty fish in the sea. “

“That’s easy, she is the best. “, Kiyomi shrugged, “Everyone who watched the tournament will say the same. She moved with such grace and beauty, it was… exhilarating to watch. Amazing, simply amazing. “

“Old lady, “, Levi interrupted her, gesturing to his lips, “You are drooling. “

“Oh, apologies. “, Yelena was quick to hand her boss a handkerchief, and she dabbed the corner of her mouth with it, “I guess it just showed how excited I am to work with you both. So, when do we begin? “

Levi sat back in his chair, folding his hands on his stomach. “We will think about the offer. Thank you. “

Kiyomi’s eyes almost popped out of her head. She clearly wasn’t expecting this kind of answer. In her business, all she heard were strict yes madam and of course madam. Now she got a maybe. However, long years in business gave her the ability to read people and looking at the pair in front of her, she knew that “maybe” is the best she can get right now. So, instead of arguing, she stood up and left, feeling the piercing gaze of the manager on the back of her neck. 

“Yelena, I want a deep scout of them both. Any relationships, friends, work colleagues, anything they have, I want to know about it. “, said Kiyomi as soon as they were out of hearing range. Her assistant, dutiful as ever, quickly wrote it down, nodding in agreement. The fashion mogul couldn’t help but smile as they left the gym. This was turning out to be exactly as interesting as she expected it to be. 

“Think about it. “, said Levi as soon as the old woman left, looking up to Mikasa’s face. “It’s you who she wants, so this will be your decision. Both you and the gym could use the promotion, but if you would feel uncomfortable about this, then we say no, it’s easy as that. “, he turned back to his table, signaling that the conversation was over, so Mikasa left his office just to find the ring empty, Annie nowhere to be seen. Maybe she was just tired, Checking the time and noticing that she still has some time left before meeting Armin, she went to the machines, the repeating activity leaving her head free to think about what just happened.

 

Armin looked happy to see her, when she slid down into the booth he was sitting in, but all Annie did was nod, not even looking up from her phone. She and the blond made some small talk, but Mikasa couldn’t help but notice the aura of hostility that his girlfriend projected around herself. 

“So, want to talk about what happened yesterday? “, she asked when their food arrived, and as soon as she said it, Annie’s eyes shot up.

“You told her? “, she hissed at her boyfriend, who seemed to shrink in his seat.

“Of course I told her, she is one of my best friends! “, he defended himself feebly.

“It’s a personal matter, between me and you! “, Annie pointed a shaking finger at Mikasa, “Ms. Perfect doesn’t have to know everything! “

“What’s that supposed to mean? “, Mikasa asked, not liking the anger in Annie’s voice one bit.

“Well, isn’t it obvious? Winning a tournament, scoring a massive deal with a fashion designer, everything is just going right for you, isn’t it? We mortals should feel graced by your presence alone, shouldn’t we? “, she made a mocking bow, “Apologies, your highness, but I’ll be going now. I do not feel right in your divine presence. “, Annie stood up, backing out of the booth. “Armin let’s go. “

“No. “

The voice was quiet, but resolute. She turned back, eyes blazing, and locked her gaze with her boyfriend. “What do you mean, no? “, she asked, venom dripping out of every word.

“I came here to enjoy a lunch with my friend, and I’ll do just that. If you want to go, fine, but I’m staying. “

They stared at each other for some time, but in the end, Annie gritted her teeth and turned away, leaving and slamming the door shut behind her. Armin sighed, putting his head in his hands. “I fucked up. “, he said.

“No, you didn’t. “¸ Mikasa reached out and patted his hair, doing her best to be supportive, “You have to stand your ground sometimes. Annie will come around, I’m sure of it. “

“How do you do it? “, he asked, looking up, “You and Eren, how can you just appear so natural together? “

“Armin, we just almost broke up because of our communication problems. We are hardly the ideal pair. “

“Yea but, anytime I watch you two, you just fit together, somehow. And it doesn’t matter that you wear black all the time, and he has those old t-shirts with colorful pictures, you two just pull it off. “, he let his head fall back down, looking defeated, “I’m sorry, I’m rambling. “

“It just…. Comes with time. There is no big secret. I mean, you saw us from the beginning, we were hardly compatible since the start. “

“Oh yea, “, remembering that seemed to lighten Armin’s mood, “It was funny, watching you in that black shirt, with the necklace and stuff, looking as goth as humanly possible holding hands with the guy who wore neatly ironed white shirts and excelled in his classes. “

They both laughed at the memory, but Mikasa had one more question for him. “What about the father issue? Want to talk about it? “  
Armin’s laughter faded as his melancholic mood returned. “There is not much to talk about, really. The second I told him I was a writer he just lost interest in getting to know me. Anything that doesn’t help getting his girl to the top just holds no value to him. “

“That’s crazy. “, Mikasa shook her head, “Annie is a human being first of all, she has feelings like anyone else. He can’t just make her ignore them. “

“You say that, but he was successfully doing just that for the past twenty years. 

“Maybe I should go have some words with him. “, she said, trying to find a way to help. 

“That…. Is not such a bad idea! But with Annie angry as she is now, I don’t think that it’s possible. “

“It’s fine. “¸Mikasa shrugged, “I’ll just wait for her to cool down. “

Armin smiled and reached over the table to squeeze her hand. “Thanks, I mean it. “

She squeezed his hand back, feeling good that she lightened his load, at least by a little bit. Annie’s behavior bothered her, but what’s done is done. 

“Anytime. “


	29. Half-hot, half-cold

“So, she curved you both a whole week huh? “

“Hmm. Got to say it surprised me, I would have never guessed that she took it so personally. “, Mikasa leaned back in the chair, eyes scanning the crowd and searching for a familiar head full of blond hair. 

“I don’t think that Armin sharing their troubles with you was the sole reason, more like the last drop. “, Eren stifled back a yawn, blinking the tiredness from his eyes. It was rather late in Japan. “The straw that broke the camel’s back, as they say. “

“When did you get so poetic? “, she giggled, and finally spotted Armin in the crowd, waving him over. “Are the sakura trees whispering knowledge to you? “

“Nah, I blame Erwin. The man has so many talents that I wouldn’t be surprised if he was secretly an author on the side. “another yawn threatened to tear his jaw from its hinges. Damn he was beat. But talking with Mikasa was something that he enjoyed more than sleeping. He felt a bit embarrassed by realizing it, but he missed her a lot. It was just a few days, but he was really looking forward to getting home and hugging her. And perhaps other things later, he thought with a sly grin, his eyes gliding over to the nightstand where the Shibari book was laid. 

Armin sat down opposite of her, and seeing her with a phone he mouthed “Eren? “and Mikasa nodded in confirmation. “Look I can hear that you are tired, so I won’t keep you. Besides Armin just came, so we will try to come up with a strategy to get Annie to open. Sooo see you tomorrow? “

“Tell him I said hi! “, Eren shuffled into a more comfortable position on the bed and with a final “Love you “and “Love you more. “, they hung up on each other. He couldn’t keep the grin from his face. Finally, he was coming home. The week was exactly as hectic as Erwin promised it to be, the two of them traveling from place to place to try and establish as many connections as possible. And overall, they were very successful, as the director said, grinning wide. Yet somehow, all Eren could think of was getting home and seeing her again. One more night, he thought to himself, and closed his eyes, drifting to sleep. 

“What did he say? “, Armin asked, when Mikasa finally put down the phone. 

“Not much, just that he’s excited to come back home. “, she smiled, “I’m looking forward to seeing him again too, you know. “Mikasa leaned back forward, and fixed Armin with a stare. “But Eren is not the reason we are here, soldier. Any development on the operation: Annie? “

Armin gave her a mock salute. “Sir! No sir! She’s still not answering my calls, sir! “

“At ease. “, she chuckled. “Well that sucks, because I haven’t seen her since the talk either. She stopped going to Levi’s gym, and if I call her she ignores it as well. “

“We could always just, you know, just turn up at her house. “, Armin suggested, “We both know where she lives. “

“I’m not going on a home invasion just because we haven’t talk to her in a week. Not happening Armin. “

“Yea, yea, I’m just saying. Sometimes you have to take the conflict to the enemy territory. I read it in The Art of War. “

Mikasa decided not to question the great Sun Tzu, especially because the waiter just showed up with their order and she was really hungry. The next few minutes were spent in silence with both of them stuffing their stomachs instead of thinking about their problem. It was a welcome change. 

“So, youph phlaning sumting specl? “, Mikasa looked up from her food with raised eyebrow. Whatever Armin wanted to say, the meaning was lost to her because his mouth was full of his noodles. He swallowed, rather noisily, and repeated his question. “So, you planning something special? “

“For what? “, she asked.

“For tomorrow, what else. The great reunion after a week of painful separation and all that stuff. “he waved his fork around to emphasize his point. 

“Well…. No, not really. “, honestly, her great plan was to drag him off to bedroom as soon as possible, but now that she thought about it, perhaps they could do something more…. Normal? The bedroom thing was happening, wherever Eren wanted it or not, but maybe she could do something for beforehand. Like… dinner?

“Whatever you guys feel like doing, I’m sure he will be happy. “Armin put down his bowl and flashed her a smile. “I’m hardly the relationship expert here. “

They finished their food and left the restaurant, walking together up until the point they usually said their goodbyes and continued separate ways.

“Any last minute tips? “, he asked, the easy smile on his face covering just how much he was worried about his relationship that seemed to be falling apart.

Mikasa scratched the back of her head. “Nope, not really. Though maybe you could like buy a bottle or something, that should at least take your mind off it for an evening. “  
Drinking. Now that was a sound advice. Arming hugged Mikasa goodbye and resumed his journey to his home, the thoughts dragging behind him like a dark cloud.

 

The evening found her standing in front of a wardrobe, as she chewed her bottom lip and discussed with herself what the hell she was supposed to wear. Over the course of years, she collected a rather vast collection of things she bought herself and some that Eren got her, but right now she couldn’t decide for shit. Well fuck it, she said to herself, he always said that she looks amazing no matter what she wears. Grabbing t-shirt and sweatpants from the pile, the pulled them on, heading to the kitchen. Now for the main course of the evening. 

The door clicked, and Eren let out a sigh, taking in the familiar scent of his home. He sniffed, his nose scrunching a bit. There was something… off, about it, but he couldn’t place it. But before he could investigate, he was hit by whirlwind of strong limbs, pale skin and raven hair, knocking him back a few steps before he managed to regain some balance, his luggage clattering on the ground in process. “H… “was all he managed to squeeze out before she viciously attacked his mouth, biting his bottom lip until he let her in to drag her tongue alongside his. Eren completely surrendered to her assault, keeping his hands on her hips to steady her, although he was quite sure that she could keep herself on him with just the leglock she had around his waist. But while he was completely content about how the night was going right now, Mikasa seemed to remember something, because after few minutes of trying to suck his face off she broke the kiss, panting for air, and wiped her lips on her sleeve.

“You… you want to move this somewhere else? “, he asked, also breathing heavily. She nodded. “Where? “

“To the kitchen. “, she said and jumped down from his arms, grabbing his hand instead and dragging him behind her. 

His theory, that she wanted him to lay her down across the counter as he was itching to do a week back was quickly debunked, when he saw the prepared table and the food that was sitting on top of it. “You…err… cooked? “

“Yes. “, she turned, hands on hips. “Something wrong with that? “

Eren sat down with a grin, shaking his head. Mikasa’s cooking wasn’t THAT bad, but he just spent a week in the most prominent of Japan restaurants, so he was rather sure that anything she made will just pale in comparison. “You made burgers? “

“Of course. You are back on the American soil, so you have to eat like a proper citizen. “, she flashed him a smile. “Dig in. “

It was…. Surprisingly tasty, Eren had to admit. It seems that once again he underestimated her. Over the course of the meal he told her all about the Japan trip, the things he saw and did, and the plans he made for when the two of them will be there.

“All right, but what about you? “

“What about me? “, he asked, a bit confused by the question. 

“Well, you’ve been sitting here, saying Erwin did this and Erwin did that, but what about you? What did you do there? “

Eren scratched the back of his head. “Well, that’s the thing, I didn’t do much. I just sat there while he flourished his perfect Japanese and won everyone over. Oh, and some of them wanted to see my hands. “

Mikasa almost choked on her drink. “your hands? “

“Yep. “, Eren held up his palm, letting the light fall on his long fingers. “For some reason they really liked seeing them, Erwin told me that they called them “hands of a great healer. “ “

“Healing? Is that all they do? “, she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I got plenty of tricks up my sleeve. “, he grinned, “Let me show you. “

 

Their clothes littered the floor as they tumbled on the bed, and Mikasa couldn’t help but sigh as she felt his fingers push into her. She closed her eyes to savor it, while Eren planted a string of kisses from her mouth to her neck, where he grinned into the skin. 

“Baby, you didn’t tell me there was a dessert. “

“W-What? I-I didn’t… “, she pried her eyes open, just to see him drag his lips down her body and reposition himself between her thighs, where he shot her a quick grin. When he dipped his head down and she felt his mouth where she craved it to be, Mikasa decided that he can keep making as many bad jokes as he wants to, if the outcome will feel as good as this. Then he sucked, and she lost control of her voice. 

 

“Delicious. “

She snorted, still hiding her face behind her arm, the aftershocks of her orgasm slowly leaving her body. Eren gently pulled her cover away, grinning when she blinked her eyes open at him and pecked her on the lips. 

“Someone was a screamer today, you wanted the neighbors to hear us? “

Mikasa blushed to the roots of her hair. It was the truth that she was rather loud, but then again, with the way he could make her feel, who could blame her?

“You know what, “she frowned at him, “you just lost your privilege to be on top with those stupid comments. “

“Oh. “, was all Eren could say before his back hit the mattress with her straddling his hips. Reaching out to the nightstand, she fished out a pair of handcuffs and clicked them closed on his right wrist before dragging his arms up so she can secure them to the metal bed railing. Eren automatically raised his other hand, and she rewarded him with a kiss before cuffing his other wrist, locking him arms in place above his head.

“You, sir, are under arrest. “, she said, grinning at her victim below her, “You have the right to remain silent, “she pinched his nipples and watched him shudder, “but I would prefer if you didn’t. “

Eren wanted to say something, but she dragged her fingernails down his chest, and all he could do was moan while the red markings appeared on his skin. Then she curled her fingers around his stiff length and dragged the tip of her tongue over the tip, and he lost the ability to talk. When her hot and wet mouth enveloped his whole shaft, he closed his eyes and gave up on thinking. It was good to be home.

 

The bottle stood unopened on Armin’s table, and he watched the liquor inside with sad eyes. It was late, but he just couldn’t bring himself to crack it open and forget, as Mikasa advised him. That was the thing, he didn’t want to forget, not even for a night. Instead, he grabbed his phone and with practiced movements called Annie, for what could be like a hundred time this week. Armin was more than ready to hear the voice mail again, so he was mightily surprised when she picked up. He jolted up in his seat. 

“Annie? Is that you? “

There was no response form the other side, but he could swear that he could hear her breathing.

“Annie please, answer me. “

Still nothing.

“I just… “, he sighed. “I miss you Annie, so please, call me, okay? “

Without a confirmation or denial, the line disconnected, and he was left staring at the blank screen.


	30. How to bind your girlfriend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this itch recently to go back in time and do some past chapters, about their first dates and stuff, mainly because as this was originally supposed to be one-shot, i skipped a ton of stuff that are interesting to write about.  
> And I would really appreciate hearing what you guys think about it, if you would like that or not. 
> 
> That being said,  
> Enjoy!

“Ereeeeeen, what’s taking so long.”

”It will only take me longer if you keep squirming love.”

Mikasa sighed, and shuffled on the bed, trying her hardest to find a comfortable position. It was hard, for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, she was naked. Then there was the fact that Eren was slowly wrapping her up in ropes, like a spider, for about half an hour already. And least but not last, the excitement she felt about this whole thing just didn’t allow her to sit still. Honest to god, when Eren pulled out the book he brought from Japan, she was as eager to try one of the designs from it as he was. But now, she was forced to face the truth. Shibari took time. And while her boyfriend looked completely content, slowly working on the knots, she was impatient as hell. Maybe if she picked less intricate design, it would be faster, but Mikasa was really taken after seeing the one they were trying at the moment in the book, and tapped it with her fingertip. 

”This one.”

Eren looked over her shoulder, nodding to himself as he read over the instructions. ”All right.”, he said. ”Let’s get you naked.”

”Do I have to be?”, she asked doubtfully, pointing out that the model was in fact in her underwear. 

He shrugged, the picture of innocence. ”I like seeing you naked, plus the clothes will be pain to remove once you’ll be tied up.”

”Pervert.”, she frowned at him, reaching down to throw her shirt over her head, quickly followed by her bra and pants.

”Says the girl about to go in the bondage.”, he winked at her, flexing the ropes. After she removed the last article of her clothing, he studied the book for a minute, and then got to work on her. That was thirty minutes ago, and she was practically bouncing in her seat impatiently. It felt great, the whisper of the ropes on her skin, and slow tightening of the loops and knots, but it was just taking so long for him to finish. It was rather amazing, that even in heated moments Eren was always, above everything, careful. In things they have tried and were comfortable with, he could be rough and feral, and completely sweep her off her feet, but in anything new, which had even a tiny possibility of anyone getting hurt, he was the saint of patience. Maybe someone else would find that annoying, but Mikasa couldn’t, especially not after witnessing what she did.

 

It was about three years ago. She came home to find him sitting on the couch, staring at his hands, and immediately knew that something was wrong. Because usually, he stood up, smiling, and went to kiss her, whispering that she looks amazing, or just burying his face in her hair to inhale her scent. But back then, he remained seated, answering to her “Hi” in a shaky voice. “Eren, what’s wrong?”, she asked after coming to sit next to him, concerned. He looked up.

”It was a stupid bet; can you believe it?”

”What? What bet? Eren, talk to me.” 

”They brought him in in the ambulance.”, he took a shuddering breath, “He was screaming and there was blood everywhere, because for some reason they didn’t put him to sleep, I still don’t know why. And he….”, Eren was shaking, she realized, ”he was begging me not to cut it, not to take his hand. But I had to. You should have seen it, the bones were shattered so much that pieces of them were jutting from the skin, I couldn’t… there was no way for me to save the limb.” He shook his head.” And the worst part? He injured himself because of some stupid bet, it was completely avoidable. He’s crippled now, for the rest of his life, because he wanted to impress his friends.” 

”Eren, baby, you know it’s not your fault, right?”, she asked cautiously, knowing that he sometimes felt the need to blame all of the world’s problems on himself. 

He picked up her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles.” I know, but I just want to promise you something.” There was fire in his eyes when he looked at her, his gaze meeting hers.” I will never, ever hurt you. Never in my life. I swear.”  
She smiled at him before pulling him into a hug, resting her chin on his shoulder.” Thank you.”

 

So yea, Eren had his own reason to take things slow and be careful, but that didn’t mean that she can’t act as an impatient ten-year old. 

”Miki?”, his voice grabbed her attention and she looked over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow.” Could you put your hands behind your back please?” She followed his wish, putting both of her wrists on the small of her back, and soon felt the rope coil around them few times before he looked back to the book, figuring out the knots. She sighed, softly, but he wasn’t the one to miss those subtle signals of her body. ”That bored huh? ”, he asked with a wide smile.

” Yea.. I’m sorry, I know its hard and I’m breaking your focus. ”

”Listen, ” the loops around her wrists tightened, ” If you’ll be a good girl and sit still for me, I’ll tell you a story. How about that? ”

” Story? What about? ”

”It’s a good one , I promise. Plus, it has a surprise at the end. So, want to hear it? ”

Mikasa loved stories. Especially when she had her boyfriend tying her up and there was nothing else to do anyway. So, she nodded. She felt Eren’s body press against her back, as he started working the rope around her breasts, but she couldn’t focus on that because he put his chin on her shoulder and started talking. ”Listen then…”

 

Eren was happy when Erwin introduced the new member of the staff, black doctor named Onyankopon. And yes, his name was weird, he knew it thank you very much. The man joked that he considered making a small business cards which he could hand out every time he met someone new, which would explain the origin of his name. But because he dropped that idea, he had to say it again and again. ”So listen closely, ”, he said, ”because I’m not repeating myself. ”, seeing that he had his audience on the edges of their seat, he winked. ”Unless you ask really nicely. ”

The truth was rather boring to be honest. His mom and dad, coming to America for job opportunities, wanted to keep a strong connection to the land of their birth, so they named their son after one of the deities of their land. Ymir laughed upon hearing that, coming close and offering her hand. ”Welcome to the god club, enjoy your stay. ” and that was that. 

Eren liked Onya, as he wanted them to call him, because he was hardworking and dedicated, didn’t slack on the job and was easy to joke around with. He could see why Erwin brought him on board. Yet no one is perfect, and he soon discovered the small, tiny thing he didn’t like about the newest addition to the team. Onya loved talking about sex. And not in a philosophical sense. Almost every night off, he would either go hunt in a bar or set up a tinder date, and try and collect another trophy for his collection. Simply said, he did a lot of one-night stands, and loved showing off his photos after. Nothing degrading for the girl, mind you, he always asked if he can take an after-sex selfie with her, and almost all of them didn’t mind. So next day, he came barging in the common room, phone in hand, eager to show her off. Men are simple creatures, so he soon gathered quite a cult around him, listening eagerly to his stories. Eren didn’t join in, but he didn’t really mind either. Everyone has something they enjoy. If his kinks would come to light, he was pretty sure that there would be plenty of spilled coffee that day. So yea, he kept doing his thing, not caring much, but that was interrupted when Onya approached him one day.

”Eren Yeager, was it? ”, he shook his hand, ”Can I call you Eren? ”

”Only if I can call you Onya. ”

”Deal. ” the dark-skinned man smiled, ”I noticed that you never take part in our talks, does it bother you? ”

”Nope, not at all. Just not a thing for me. I’m engaged. ”

”Oh…”, from the look on Onya’s face, it seemed like Eren just told him that he was dying. ”I’m sorry buddy, I didn’t know you were snatched. How long has it been going on? ”

”Ehm… Five years? ”

”Oof. Fuck man, I’m so sorry. ”

”Why are you acting like it’s bad thing? ”, Eren was completely perplexed right now.

”Well you see. ”, Onya put a hand on his shoulder, almost like if he was giving him emotional support in trying times. ”After five years of eating the same food, it just doesn’t taste as good, you get me? Plus, five years? Really? I know how these long-term thing works. Tell me buddy, how often do you even go at it, once a month? Missionary? Under the covers?” He shook his head. ”It’s just sad seeing a prime specimen like you settled down, that’s all. ” With a last squeeze of his shoulder, he let go and returned to his group, leaving confused Eren in the dust.

 

”Oooh, my baby got insulted. ”, Mikasa fluttered her lashes at him, pursing her lips, ”Want me to kiss you to make it better? ”

Eren just chuckled, putting some finishing touches on the ropework and checking the book to make sure he got everything right. ”I just don’t know what gave him that idea, that’s all. I mean, I know that its been five years, but do you grow tired of this, of us? ”  
Mikasa shook her head resolutely. Truth was, she wouldn’t compare their sex as eating food, more like breathing. Sure, you did it your whole life, but you just wanted it every day of your life. And if you held your breath for a few minutes, you found out that you really miss oxygen. A lot. ”Well, he was just wrong about you. We are hardly doing it once a month, and this,”, she flexed her hands against the ropes, ”is the weirdest missionary I’ve seen in my whole life. ”

Eren’s fingers skimmed over the bonds, testing out the knots as he frowned at the book. ”Miki, does anything hurts? Any complaints? ” She squirmed, turning left and right before shaking her head.

”Nope, I’m all good here. ”

A hand gripped the back of her neck, and before she realized it her face was roughly pushed against the mattress, bending over her whole body as Eren’s mouth appeared by her ear while his other hand squeezed her exposed ass.

”Then let’s see if it holds. ”

 

The tightness in her abdomen was growing, the fire between her thighs expanding to a roaring inferno, as the wand kept circling her most sensitive parts, and all she could do was moan and gasp into the covers. The Shibari might have taken a long time to set up, but damn it held fast. Her fists clenched at the small of her back, her knees dug into the mattress for support, and the damn ropes tightened around her breasts, squeezing them. Whole body shuddering as her high approached, she prayed that time he will finish the job, finally let her come and…. 

He stopped, the fucking bastard. Mikasa groaned in utter frustration, turning her head so she can glare at him over her shoulder. Eren seemed immensely pleased with himself, leaning on her rear with a smirk, holding the Hitachi wand he tormented her with casually with his right hand.

”You know, I’ve been thinking Miki. ” 

She stared at him in disbelief. Now. He wanted to talk now. Was he fucking kidding her? How long was he teasing her already, and now he wants to take a break to make a speech? Fucking asshole.

”Just a few years back, you blushed when I kissed you on the lips, and look at us now. Here you are, ass in the air, tied up, edged. And you enjoy it don’t you. ”

”Fuck you, Eren. ”

”Ooh, ” he leaned a bit closer, the grin on his face only widening. ”I love it when you talk dirty. ”

”Yea? Well, then listen. As soon as I’m out of these ropes, ill bash your fucking face in, ill wipe that smirk from your face and ram it in your asshole, ill punch you so hard that you will turn inside out, I’ll…,” she ran out of breath, panting.

”Anything you want to add, love? ”, he asked casually. And she knew what he was asking about. Even with her mind completely clouded by her desire, the safeword was there, drilled into her mind. He was asking for it, wanting to know if she really wanted him to free her, and was ready to do it on a moment’s notice. But she didn’t want him to let her out, not really.

She shook her head. ”Fuck you. ”

He pulled back, turning the wand on with a click. ”Let’s see how long you can keep the tough girl act up. ”, he said, and pressed it back between her legs. Mikasa choked back a gasp, and quickly turned her head back into the mattress to muffle the sounds she was about to make. 

 

”Eren… I love you…So much…”

He just chuckled and kissed the top of her head, his hand rubbing small soothing circles into her back. She felt weightless, detached from her physical body, so light that she was grateful for the hand around her waist that kept her anchored, laying on his chest. 

”You talked differently a while ago. ”, he grinned. ”I do recall something about you punching me so hard that I will turn inside out. ”

She shook her head, refusing to open her eyes. Sure, she was frustrated back when he was teasing her, but in the end, it was so worth it. When he finally did let her come, she was sure that the whole street could hear her scream, but somehow, she didn’t care one bit. And that wasn’t all. As she was facedown on the bed, panting, he whispered in her ear that it would be shame to let her out so early, when tying her up took so long. Then his mouth disappeared from her ear, and she was left wondering where he was until his tongue pressed against her aching sex from behind. No teasing this time, he let her come on his face, but even that wasn’t the end.

”You ready for one more round? ”, he asked, his hand caressing her ass gently. Mikasa uttered her consent, but almost lost it when he pushed into her, the oversensitiveness driving her crazy. She had to bite the covers to keep any grip of reality, because Eren set a rough, bruising tempo, abandoning his careful side. She almost lost her mind there, because she came rather fast, but Eren took a longer time, fucking into her through her orgasm. Mikasa was grateful when he slapped her ass repeatedly, the pang of pain bringing her back to reality, as her muscles clenched around him hard, doing their best to topple him over. And he did, with a groan, finally letting her rest.

So here she was, untied, the ropes folded neatly on the ground, slowly falling asleep on his chest, while he dragged his fingers through her silken black hair. 

”We have to….”, she yawned, ”We have to do this again. Soon. ”

”As long as you let me work at my own pace, anytime.”, he grinned into her hair, “Safety and consent turn me on.”

She just nodded. If it will make her feel this way, he could damn well play with the bonds for an hour, she wouldn’t mind. 

”Eren? ”, she whispered, her mind slowly darkening as the sleep approached.

”Hmm? ”

”I don’t think I could survive with once a month. ”

He laughed. ”Neither could I Miki, not with you around. ”

 

”You want to hear the continuation of the story? ”

”Sure, not like I have something else to do. ”

Wasn’t that the truth. Mikasa was lying on her stomach, hands behind her back, while Eren had the book opened, on a different section, figuring out the complicated set she requested this time. Suspension was a step higher than what they tried last, but he was confident that he can pull it off. It would last longer to set up too.

”All right then, listen. ”, he began, while wounding up the rope around her ankles. ”It happened a few days ago…”

 

”Hey, Eren, there you are. ”

He turned around to see Onya making his way over to him, smiling. Eren raised an eyebrow at that. After their talk, he wasn’t expecting the man to come talk to him again, especially not this soon. 

”I’ve been looking for you. ”, the dark man said. ”I’ve come to apologize. ”

”Apologize? ”

”Yea. I… thought about what I said and I realized that it was rude of me. It’s not my place to judge your relationship, and if you with her for five years, I’m sure that she’s making you happy. After all, relationships are not only about sex.”, he extended his hand, ”Friends? ”

”Uhm.. sure. Friends. ” Eren shook it, and Onya flashed him a quick grin before disappearing back down the hall. 

 

”So, what’s the surprise? ”, she asked, watching his stand up and loop the ropes through the hook in the ceiling, the decoy punching bag that usually occupied it removed. He looked down at her, licking his lips. 

”I…. Nah, forget it, it’s stupid. ”

”Eren. ”, somehow Mikasa managed to look dangerous, even down on the ground and tied so tightly that she couldn’t move a muscle. ”Tell me. ”

”Its just…” he sighed, ” I just had an idea. I was thinking, maybe you could come to the hospital one day, to pick me up, to like… you know… show him what I have? ”

”Ooh I see. ”, her eyes narrowed, ”You want to show me off. ” 

”Well, yea…”

”I didn’t realize I’m dating a teenager. Seriously? Pissing competition? Come on. ”

”I told you it’s stupid, forget it. ”, he redirected his gaze on the book, but Mikasa could see the way his ears were burning. She sighed. Well, sometimes you could act like a child again, right?

”Eren. Eren look at me. ”He peeled his eyes from the pages and back on her face. “Let’s make a deal, you and I. If you really blow my mind tonight, ill do it. Ill go there so you can flex on your coworker, all right? ”

He grinned at her. ”Sounds good. ” Out of nowhere, he pulled, and she fell her body rising from the ground, the ropes pulling her upwards until she was hovering mid-air. One of her legs was brought almost all the way up, while the other remained down, which effectively exposed her most private region to him, the realization made her blush. Eren rounded her, his eyes darting over the binds, nodding to himself. ”Anything too tight? ” Mikasa shook her head. ”All right then. ” he said, his voice darkening. ”Let’s blow your mind. ”

 

God bless Eren for this huge tub, she thought to herself, once again comfortably splayed on top of his body, with the warm water splashing around her. Oh damn, he was talking to her, she realized and it took her tired brain a few moments before she deciphered what he was saying.

”How’s your mind? ”, he asked, smiling.

”Positively blown. ”, she said with a smile of her own.

”So that means that you will come? Miki? ”

She sighed. ”Yes, I’ll be there, silly. Now shush, I want to rest. ”

”Yes ma'am. ”

 

”Dude, oh my god, you won’t believe this. ”

Eren had to bite back his grin, and turned around with an expression of feigned innocence on his face. ”What’s up? ”

”There’s a 10/10, no scrap that, 11/10 Asian chick in the lobby right now. ”

”Oh really? That’s cool man. ”

”Yea, her chest might a bit smaller than I like, but her legs go for days, and that ass.. ” Onya made a whistling sound, ”Plus she’s wearing all black. ”

“What does have to do with anything?”

“Oh, you don’t know?”, Onya shook his head, “Poor man. The goth girls are into kinky shit.”

The image of Mikasa suspended from the ceiling flashed in Eren’s mind, and he had to fight not to choke on the water he just happened to be sipping. If Onya only knew how right he was in his guess.

”Well, what are you waiting for. ”, Eren shrugged, ” Go get her tiger. ”

”About that, she is really something, so I might need your help. ”

”My help? ”

”I mean, she’s obviously not hurt, so she’s here for a checkup, or maybe she’s here for a job, nurse or something. If that’s it, then she will know about you, because you are quite famous in the medical circles. ”, Onya licked his lips, excited with his plan, ”Listen, give me a few minutes, I’ll go there and start her up, see how things are. After some time, come to the lobby and look for me. ”, he gestured to his civilian clothing and the bag on his back, ”You are going home anyway right, so it’s on your way. Now, if you see me giving you thumbs up, just go, I got this. But if you won’t, could you come and introduce yourself, so I can show her that I have friends in the highest circles? Chicks get turned on by that. ”

”Not afraid ill take her from you? ”

”Well I mean, you are engaged right? Want to cheat on your lady? ”

Eren shook his head. ”Nope, never. ”

”See, ” Onya shrugged, ”That’s why I’m not worried. Anyway buddy, can I count on you? Please. ”

Eren pretended to think for a moment, before sighing and nodding. ”Sure, but you’ll owe me one. ”

With a quick ”Thank you”, the dark-skinned man was off to his hunt, and Eren couldn’t suppress his smile any longer.

”You are enjoying this, aren’t you? ”, Ymir’s voice cut into him like a dagger, and he could feel her eyes drilling into the back of his head.

”Enjoying what? ”, he said, turning to face her.

”Cut the crap. ”, she shook her head. ”He makes fun of you a few days back, and suddenly there is a super hot Asian girl appearing in the lobby. You want me to believe that’s not Mikasa?

”Pure coincidence. ”, Eren said, doing his best to keep his face straight.

”You know, I have no idea why girls even put up with your crap. I’m just glad I don’t have to. ”

Ymir pushed past him and out of the room, shaking her head the whole time. All right Eren, he thought to himself, showtime. 

Finding the pair in the lobby was easy. Mikasa was leaning against the wall, with Onya standing next to her, his seducing techniques out in full force. He was good at this. He managed to be close to her, but in the same time he kept respectable distance, not invading her private space. He kept the conversation going, lively, while all she did was just nod or give him one-word long answers, all the time peering over his shoulder and looking for Eren. She was really looking breathtaking. She wore black combat boots, combined with fishnets of the same color and a short skirt. Her top was one of his t-shirts, he recognized, also dark with a metal band picture in front, but somehow, she managed to look better in it than he ever did. To top it off, Mikasa even put on make up for this, black lipstick and eyeliner standing out against her pale skin, matching the color of her nails. She must have felt his eyes on her, because her own gaze soon found him, and a smile appeared on her face. Eren walked over to them, ready to put on a show. 

”Eren. ”, she said, pushing herself off the wall and going over to him.

Onya paused in a middle of sentence, confused until he followed her gaze to see him coming over. ”Oh yes, Eren Yeager, the surgeon. He is my friend, you know, want me to introduce….”

He stopped when he saw Mikasa wrapping her arms around Eren’s neck, and the two of them kissed with intensity they usually reserved for private moments. She bit into his lower lip, and when he groaned she slipped her tongue into his mouth. When they finally separated, she bit into him again, pulling at the abused part before letting it snap back. Fuck, now he was turned on in the middle of the lobby. And from the look she gave him, Mikasa knew exactly what she was doing to him. 

”Revenge? ” he whispered to her. 

”Just a tiny one. ”, she winked, ”You’ll get the bigger part at home. ”

With a smile, he turned back towards the surprised Onya, keeping his hand around her waist. ”This is my fiancé, Mikasa. Mikasa, my friend, Onyankopon. ”

He just stared at them, mouth moving but no sound coming out.

”We would love to stay and chat, but we really have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? ”

With that, they left the hospital. Mikasa managed to keep the straight face all the way to the car, where she exploded in laughter. ”All right, okay, that was funny. Did you see the look on his face? ” she covered her own with her hands, shaking her head. ”I feel so bad now. ”

”Don’t be. We didn’t do anything to him, just shook his beliefs a bit. ”, he reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. ”Let’s go home. ”

She nodded, turning the key in the ignition and the car sprung to life.

”Let’s. ”

 

Onya found him tomorrow morning, just as his shift was starting.

”Five years huh? ”

”Yup. ”

The dark man shook his head, the whites of his teeth shining as he smiled. ”You are one lucky bastard, you know that?”

All Eren could do was nod. 

”The luckiest of them all. ”


	31. Where does it hurt?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know how you guys are dealing with the new chapter angst, but I personally like to write smut to take my mind off of it.
> 
> Enjoy!

There was a lot of ways to spend your evening. Mikasa could say, with clear conscience, that she has done, if not all, then most of them. Because she was rather sure that most of the other people haven’t been on their boyfriend’s lap, with laptop in front of them, browsing pages that sold fetish gear.

“I still can’t believe you talked me into this. “

“I didn’t talk you into anything babe. I asked if you are willing to do it, and you said, and I quote: Sure thing, that sounds like fun! “, Eren pointed out. 

Mikasa reached down and pinched one of his arms that were coiled around her waist.

“Stop with that logic of yours, I have to pretend that I’m at least a bit embarrassed by this. But, to be honest, “, her eyes focused on the monitor and slid over the rows of merchandise, “it does look kinda hot. “

“It will look way hotter once you will be the one wearing it. “, he murmured into her hair.

They browsed in silence for a time, because she was picky, and he honestly didn’t mind a bit. 

“It’s weird that it even took you this long to suggest me doing this. Aren’t you like, working in a hospital? “

“Miki, do you seriously think that they wear this in real life? “, Eren chuckled, pointing at the nurse outfits they were browsing. “If any of the Nurses would show up to work in one of these, Erwin would have a stroke. “

“Those look way more fun than scrubs though. “

“Scrubs are effective, that’s the whole point of them. “

She rolled her eyes at that, but didn’t comment any further. He was the expert here, after all.

“Nah, not that one. “, she shook her head when he hovered the mouse over one of the dresses and looked at her with raised eyebrow. “Don’t want to wear white. “

“Ah, your eternal fascination with black and red. Tell me, have you been dutifully giving offerings to your lord and savior, Lucifer? “

He grunted when she punched him in the ribs. Gently of course. Mikasa continued browsing while he was slowly sucking in air to breathe again, until she found a dark colored dress, black latex stockings and a pair of fingerless gloves that she threw in just because she wanted to. Satisfied, she placed the order and closed the laptop, a smile spreading her lips. This should be good.

 

“So, how do I look? “

Mikasa asked Eren this question numerous times during their relationship. Usually, he would say something along the lines that she looked amazing, and he truly meant it. Or, if he wanted to tease her, he said that the dress makes her ass look fat and she should take it off so he can see for himself just how much. And then there were times where she was met with just stunned silence. This was one of those times. Looking at her, Eren could feel his brain rapidly going out of operations mode, as his mouth fell open and closed again, but he didn’t make a sound. He just lacked words to describe her. 

The black latex dress hugged her lithe torso closely, giving really no space for imagination. It was short, very short, the skirt ending just at the top of her thighs, giving way to the pale skin. He didn’t see much of it though, because after just a few centimeters of the porcelain goodness it dipped back under a black material, this time the top of her latex stockings. Eren had half a mind to tell her that the high-heeled ankle boots that were on her feet are hardly the appropriate footwear for a nurse but decided against it. It was better to just gaze at her and take the whole uniform in. The gloves she bought were on her hands, going all the way up to her upper arms, encasing most of her body in her favorite color. The only connection the whole outfit had to the nurse roleplay they were about to do was the red cross on the left breast of her dress, and the small cap on the top of her head, sitting snuggly amidst the strands of silky hair. 

But while he was perfectly content with just staring at the breath-taking visage in front of him, Mikasa had other ideas. 

“Mr. Yeager, was it? “, she began, putting her hands on her hips. “What seems to be the problem? “

Oh right, he was supposed to be the patient. But he just couldn’t think of anything, as his brain was completely dead, rolling around in his skull. “I…I mean…. Uhm… “

“C’mon Eren, just pick something. Roleplay works only if both parties are active. 

He groaned, hiding his face behind his palms and shaking his head. Its ok, he can do this. Breathe Eren. Dropping his hands, he gave her an apologetic smile. “Can we try again? “

 

“Mr. Yeager, what brings you here today? “

“I have a… problem…. In my pants. “

She rolled her eyes at that, because seriously? Couldn’t he pick something less cheesy? Whatever.

“Can you be more specific please? “

“I have eeeh… an erection, aaaaaaand it won’t go away. “

“Oh damn, that sounds really annoying. “, she snapped her gloves against her skin. “All right, strip, so I can see. “

Eren followed her wish, quickly discarding his clothes until he was naked, watching her with keen interest as she came close, her heels clicking on the floor. She bent over, her face just centimeters from his hard member, inspecting it. He had to fight his urge to just buck his hips into her, because her breath fanned over the sensitive skin as her mouth dropped open, and she licked her lips, pink tongue wetting the black painted skin so fucking slowly. Calm, stay calm, he said to himself. Satisfied, Mikasa straightened, and from the smirk on her face it was clear to see that she knew exactly what she was doing to him. 

“Oh, don’t sulk, “, she said and patted his cheek with her gloved hand, the latex feeling oddly cold against his skin, “I believe I have just the thing to help you. “

She crossed the short distance to the dresser, rummaging through the drawers, clearly looking for something. When she came back, there was a short silk cord in her hand and she flexed it between her fingers, her face doing nothing to hide the excitement. Eren stared at her, dumbly, trying to puzzle the pieces together. It was way too short to bind his hands, and even then, why would she bother with something like this when they had a numerous pairs or perfectly functioning cuffs? Then she pushed him down to the chair and her hands reached down to his crotch, and with terrifying clarity he realized what she was about to do. The cord looped once, twice around his shaft before turning over and doing the same to his balls. She seemed to be enthralled by the task, making sure the binding was both tight enough to prevent him from finishing, as was the intended purpose, but also not too tight, not to hurt him. Satisfied with her performance, she let him sit there as she went back over to the dresser, this time returning with a pair of cuffs while his new reality slowly sank in. Mikasa bound his wrists together behind the back of the chair, and then circled him back to front, the smirk never leaving her face.

“Any complaints? Problems? Now is the time to talk. “

He took a deep breath, doing his best ignore the tight grasp the cord had on his jewels, and shook his head. Eren was always willing to try new things, and as long as they had the safewords to fall back on, he wasn’t afraid. 

“All right then, “she slowly kneeled down in front of him between his legs, “let’s see what I can do. “

In the moment her fingers closed around him, he had to bite back a groan. And the torture started. She was stroking his slowly, not rushing anywhere, pressing her thumb against the head, generally just applying all of her wide range of skills she learned over the course of their love life. 

“This is weird, it doesn’t seem to be working. “, she sighed, speeding up the tempo of her hand. Eren gritted his teeth, bit his tongue, anything to stop himself from giving her the satisfaction of hearing him moan and beg her. But Mikasa, she was far from discouraged.

“Let’s kick it up a notch. “His eyes shot open just in time to see how she lowered her head and opened her mouth, only pausing to give him a wink before taking him in. And he lost his fight.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuck. “

She let him go with a pop, shaking her head.

“Don’t swear, this is a hospital. “

To emphasize her words, she slapped his thigh, but that only made him groan. All right, this was fun, she thought to herself and stuck out her tongue, licking a long stripe from the base, where the cord was, all the way to the tip. When the warmth of her mouth enveloped his tip again, and her gloved hand stroked the rest, he literally shook in his bonds. His member was straining wildly against the restraints, while he sank his nails into his palms. Fuck, she was going to drive him insane. But then she dropped her head low, lower until he felt himself hit the back of her throat, which made her gag around him, and he had to reconsider his statement. She wasn’t going to drive him insane, she is going to straight up kill him. He will expire, right here, in her hands and mouth. Eager to see him react to her more, she swallowed around him, before letting him slide deep into her throat again. Eren’s head fell back while he mumbled some incoherent words, something alongside please and fuck with a little bit of Mikasa on the side. Neither of them had any idea how long this went on, with her applying her tongue, lips, throat, and sometimes even teeth to make him produce the most delirious sounding grunts and moans. While she was working, Eren had sunk deep under, his whole body shuddering under her care, eyes flicking open and closed, as he was unable to focus his brain even on the simplest of tasks. He could feel her nails as she dragged them across his thighs, scratching him, but the pain was nothing compared to the bite of the cord on his twitching member. He couldn’t hold it in, not anymore, he was weak. With a twist of her hand and a swipe of tongue around the head, she broke him.

“P-Please….M-Mistress…I can’t… I beg you… “

Forming whole sentences was far beyond his reach at the moment, but it was enough for her. She let go of him, both her mouth and hand leaving his body and stood back up, straightening her dress.

“Well, this doesn’t seem like it’s working. “Mikasa tapped her chin, while Eren forced his eyes to open and focus on her. She was fucking glorious, the shiny black latex contrasting with the pale shade of her skin and her swollen lips, red combined with the dark color she painted them. All of his blood rushed downward making him feel terribly lightheaded. “Oh, I have an idea. “With the click of her heels, she walked behind him and undid the cuffs, letting his hands fall free. 

Free, he was free. He could touch himself if he wanted to, undo the fucking knot around his shaft and stop the dull pressure in his abdomen. But he knew that if he did that, she wouldn’t be pleased. No, his mistress didn’t allow him to come, not yet. So instead, he pushed himself from the chair, and immediately fell on the floor as his knees buckled underneath him. Where, where was she? Pulling himself up to a kneeling position, he looked around, to find her sitting on the bed, legs crossed, waiting for him. Both not trusting himself not to fall again, and because he knew that she liked it, he crawled over to her before straightening, expecting her instructions. Mikasa ruffled his hair affectionally, watching him kneel at her feet, completely lost to the world, hers and hers alone. 

“Since my hand techniques didn’t relieve you of your burden, let’s try something else. “, she said, her voice cheerful. Mikasa lifted her leg, and pressed the shiny black tip to his mouth. “How about you kiss my shoes? Such humiliating activity should take care of your little problem, don’t you think? “

Completely in her control, Eren followed the command, pressing his mouth to the black and giving it a chaste peck, but she wasn’t happy with that. With a tug of her leg, she shoved the toe of her boot into his mouth, which in turn made him groan. 

“You have to try harder, pet. Don’t you want to have your problem solved? “

Because it is hard to talk with your mouth full, he settled only on nodding his head. Taking a hold of her leg, Eren swiped his tongue across the latex stocking, planting open mouthed kiss along the sides after. Eager to please her, he turned her leg to side, and kissed his way all the way up her knee, before moving back down. On her command, he let her slide her heel into his mouth and sucked, allowing her to ravage it as much as she wanted. Because he belonged to her, every part of his body, to use as much and how she wanted. Mikasa watched him, watched him lick her legs, watched him as he worshipped them, just because she ordered him to. They were different, Eren and her, in the way of their submission. For him, it was like this. To kneel down and let himself be ordered around, to let the everyday stress that came from his line of work, in which he was literally handling lives every day, just wash over him. He would do anything she told him to do, without question, because that was what he craved, to forget the burdens and let himself be dominated. For Mikasa, it was different. She was a fighter, not only as a pro but also in life, and when life bit her in the ass she always bit back. And while she was perfectly capable of playing a cute little submissive, her most favorite part was when Eren tied her down, so tight that she couldn’t move a muscle, let her thrash and scream while he played with her, and she was unable to stop him. 

After a single word from her black lips, he switched his attention to the other leg, giving it the same attentive treatment as the first one. He had to fight to keep his hips from thrusting up, out of sheer instinct, but Mikasa didn’t miss a thing. The boot he wasn’t mouthing pressed against his crotch, not hard enough to hurt but enough to made him hiss against the latex he was licking.

“Still, pet. No moving. “Not really in a mind to answer, Eren did his best to just quietly follow her order, focusing instead of enveloping her other heel inside his mouth. 

“Oh well, this doesn’t seem to have any effect either. You seem to be getting harder, if anything. “, Mikasa noted, freeing her leg from his hands, and put it down, leaning over to look closely at his face.

Eren was completely wrecked. His mouth hung open, lips swollen and a string of saliva slowly falling down in the corner. He was breathing hard, eyes dark and unfocused, but other than that, he didn’t move a muscle. She trained him well after all. Her quick inspection finished, she leaned back, once again lifting her latex-covered leg.

“Take them off for me, would you? Maybe that will work.“

Eren was quick to obey, dragging the short zipper down and pulling the shoes from her feet, putting them down next to the bed. After that, he rolled the latex stockings down, carefully, freeing her beautiful pale limbs from the constricting insides of them. Sure, they looked great, and really brought out the length and shape of her legs, but for the same reason they were damn tight too. Once he was done, Mikasa wasted no time, and pressed her newly bare toes into his obediently opened mouth. Eager to please, Eren didn’t even wait for her command and started treating it the same way as her boots before, sucked on her toes before kissing his way up. When he reached her knee however, he felt her other foot, the one he wasn’t worshipping, press against the top of his head halting his advance.

“Easy there. You didn’t earn the right to go higher. Down. Now. “

With that, she pushed him back the way he came, and he went with it, ending his journey on the heel of her foot before switching, as she ordered him to. It felt nice, the gentle massage of his mouth and hands. Even deep under, as he was right now, the desire to please her was there, seeping into every motion, every swipe of his tongue, every press of his fingers. Mikasa let herself enjoy this, closing her eyes and tilting her head back, a sigh falling from her lips. Eren fully immersed himself in his task, both because he really wanted to make her feel good, but also to take his mind off the throbbing in his crotch, because it was literally killing him. 

“Okay, okay, good enough. “, with that, Mikasa allowed him to let go of her, putting her foot back on the floor.

“Let’s see. “, she said as she leaned back in again, her hand cupping his balls as she stared at the unflinching hardness between his legs. “Well damn, nothing. “She pulled back, leaning on her arms on the bed as she watched him. Eren’s hands twitched a bit, as the need for his release was overwhelming. He was so close, but not there, the fucking cord preventing him from finally letting himself spill free. But he couldn’t take it off, not yet. She wasn’t done with him.

“Come here pet. “, she instructed him, and he shuffled closer, a bit of curiosity entering his wrecked face. “Hug me. “Eren followed her wish and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her fingers curled in his hair and she pressed his face to her stomach, or rather the black material of the dress that was covering her stomach right now. And then he felt it.

Mikasa's feet, still slick and wet from his worship, slowly creeped their way to his lap, and pressed on his erection from both sides, trapping it between them. She started moving. It was slow at first, experimental, to see if he won’t slip out, but with a few adjustments she got quite a good grip on him, and started speeding up. Her toes curled around him, adding a bit more pressure and she pumped with fervor, which made him moan helplessly against her midriff. Eren's fingers dug into the forearms as he held his embrace around her, huffs of hot breath washing over her dress. This must be purgatory, he thought to himself. Because the gentle caress of her hands on his face and hair, that was heaven, but underneath, her feet wrapped around his aching member, moving, pulling him on the edge, that was hell. 

“N-No…I can’t… not anymore…. Please…. “

But Mikasa was ruthless. “Shh, pet, shh. You are fine, you are all right. “She whispered these small encouraging bits to him, while she never stopped in her torment, never halting the movement of her legs and he shivered where he lay against her, the sweat beading on his brow and falling to slide down her latex dress, standing out against the black. He begged her to stop, he pleaded with her, anything, but she didn’t. He knew how to end this, deep down, of course he did, but while his whole body seemed to be on fire, there was the hidden truth that prevented him from doing so. Eren enjoyed this. So fucking much.

With a last tug, she finally let go, which made him sag against her, the tears from his eyes mixing with the sweat as he blinked them away, trying to find his way back to reality.

“I’m really running out of ideas here. “, she shook her head and stood up, his arms dropping as she stepped out of the hug. “Come on, up on the bed. “Eren stared at her for a moment, before his brain finally caught on what she wanted from him and crawled up, careful not to put any contact on his twitching and weeping member. Once there, he fell on his back, covering his face with an arm as he focused on his breathing. Mikasa stood still for a moment, deciding if she should bind him or not, but in the end shook her head. It was way more fun when his hands were free, because the only thing stopping him from reaching his climax weren’t chains or ropes, but only her word. 

“Eyes on me, pet. “, she ordered, and he dropped his hand from his face, eyes slowly focusing on her. Once she was sure she had his attention, she took her gloves off and unzipped her dress, pulled it down her body, letting it pool around her ankles. His gaze was ravenous, as his eyes darted all over her, but he didn’t make a single move. She didn’t allow him to.

“Seems like I have to resort to my last plan. “, the nurse said as she climbed on the bed with him, “Sitting on your face. “, Eren swallowed audibly, watching her as she made her way over, positioning herself until her hips were right over his mouth. “Earn your release. “, was all she said before dropping down, her wet sex right on his mouth. And so, he did.

Arms moving to hold her thighs, he darted out with his tongue, licking her before pushing in, exploring her with the tip. Eren was never afraid to get messy with her, and soon he was full in action, lips working in sync with his tongue as he focused on giving her as much as he could. Lick after lick, he ventured deeper, and Mikasa was soon lost, her head tiling back and the cap falling down from her hair and off the bed, neither of them noticing. She moaned, gasped, whispered praises urging him to go on. Soon she was moving on her own, hips moving back and forth, riding his face as she chased her finish. Reaching down, she found her clit, swollen and wet, and rubbed it in small quick circles, as her muscles kept tensing until a deep shove of his tongue keeled her over, and she screamed her pleasure while her thighs pressed on the sides of his face, her release drenching him.

She pushed herself off him, falling on her back next to his body, relaxing her breathing. When she finally cracked an eye open she saw that he was watching her. “P-Please…“, was all he said, but she smiled and forced her body to move, settling between his legs. Mikasa opened her mouth, once again taking the head of his member in, but this time, she let her fingers wander down, until she found the knots she made, and with a tug she released him, throwing the cord away. It took her about two strokes and a quick flick of her tongue until his whole body shot upwards, a shout ripped from his throat and he came, so hard that she herself was surprised. With the sheer amount of his release, Mikasa was half tempted to pull her mouth away, but she pushed herself to swallow. After all she threw at him, he deserved this. When Eren finally stopped thrashing, she let go of his limp length and laid down next to him, tracing images with the tip of her finger on his chest.

She wanted him, Mikasa realized after watching him struggle to breathe normally, wanted to feel him inside her, right now. Which was weird, because she just came, but somehow it just didn’t matter. But when her fingers closed around him, and gave him a testing pump, Eren’s teeth gritted as he shook his head.

“Yellow, fuck, yellow, I can’t go again, not now. “

Hearing the safeword for slowing down, she let go of him, watching as he dragged the arm from his face and focused his eyes on her. “Hey. “, she smiled at him, and he smiled back, even with his face looking like he just ran ten miles straight.

“Hey yourself. “

“You okay? “

“Yea I just… “he looked down at his hopelessly dead piece, shaking his head, “I just need a minute. “

Out of curiosity, she poked It, which made his hips jolt away form the touch. Eren frowned at her, which in turn made her giggle. “Did you really come that much? “

“I mean, you literally teased me whole night, and I had that fucking cord around me. You drained me dry, what did you expect? “

“I don’t know. “, she shook her head, still giggling, “it’s just funny. “

Eren seemed a bit offended by that, but she kissed the frown away from his face. Soon she was on top of him, although Mikasa made sure to sit on his stomach, not to touch the oversensitive area, as their teeth clicked and tongues clashed, Eren’s hands going down to grope her ass which made her moan into his ear.

“This is like waiting for a bus. “, she whispered, which made him stop, because even with his brain still on about ten percent of usual capacity, he was rather sure that the joke made no sense. Seeing him stare, she flashed a grin. “Because I’m waiting for something to ride on. “

The laughter came slow, but soon he was shaking with it, the absurdness of her words hitting him with full force and she was laughing too, mixing their sounds together as she kissed him again. When Mikasa reached behind her this time, she found him slowly hardening beneath her touch, even with him groaning into her mouth. Wasting no time, she held him up, and repositioned herself, sinking down in one swift motion, taking him all the way in. For a moment time stood still, with them gazing at each other, joined, until her fingers curled and she dragged her nails down his chest to get his attention, leaving red marks in her wake. 

“Eren, you know the rules, right? “

He nodded, his hands once again going down to squeeze her toned mounds. “No coming before you do. “

Mikasa leaned forward, her hard nipples brushing against his bare skin. “Good boy. “, she whispered, and her hips started moving, once again bringing them closer and closer to the precarious edge. As she got closer and her movements halted, he flipped them over, grounding into her, listening to her thick moans, pressed his mouth to her breasts and tongued her nipples, taking from her as much as he was giving, And she came, she came beneath him, drawing her pleasure on his back with her nails, and he followed her soon after, although it was rather dry finish, because his supply was rather empty at the moment. 

 

“So, how do you feel? Everything okay? “, she asked, when they were resting, tangled together on the bed, sweat slowly cooling on their bodies. 

“I think my problem have been taken care of expertly, “, Eren pulled back to press a kiss to her nose, “thank you nurse. “

“My pleasure. “

“Although I have the feeling that nurses don’t call their patients “pet“. “

“And I’m pretty sure that you are not supposed to call your nurse “mistress“. “

Eren snorted at that. Mikasa was right, as usual.

“I have the feeling, “he traced the bumps of her spine with his fingers, grinning to himself, “that my problem might return. “

Mikasa pushed herself up, looking down at his flushed face with a smile of her own. “Then we will cure it again, I’m sure your health insurance will cover it. “Eren kissed her, already looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day, I’ll move the plot forward.  
> But today is not that day.


	32. One punch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A plot chapter?  
> A plot chapter!
> 
> Enjoy!

He had her this time, he was sure of it. Two quick jabs, block, watch the footwork, keep the pressure up. He bullied his opponent into a corner, rained hell upon her, and just waited for the opportunity to knock her down. It was over. At least that’s what he thought until he saw her eyes and the cold determination that shone inside them. Out of nowhere, she shoved her leg between his, getting a firm foothold while upsetting his balance, and he could see the muscles of her back flexing as she prepared her attack. The uppercut went right through his block and landed on his chin, the strength of the blow lifting him from the ground. His vision went black even before he landed on the ground with a thud. 

“Eren! Eren! Wake up honey! “

Someone was slapping him. Eren groaned, not wanting to go back to reality just yet, partly because his head was cushioned on something very comfortable, Mikasa’s thighs. Light blows continued raining on his cheek and forced him to open his eyes. Damn, his lids felt heavy. There was a face hovering over his, with a worried look on it, thin pink lips slightly opened, and a sheet of sweat covering her skin was a proof that the victory she achieved wasn’t that easy after all. 

“Did I die and go to heaven? “, he asked, his voice groggy. Mikasa’s brow furrowed, his ill-timed joke most likely made her question if the knock out didn’t inflict any brain damage on him. “Because you look like an angel. “ Eren finished, an easy grin spreading on his aching jaw. She shook her head, and the hold on his face changed from a worried grip to a more sensual one, as she dragged her fingers through his hair.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have hit you so hard. “, she said, “I got carried away. “

“It’s fine. “, Eren offered her a brave smile, ignoring the pain it caused to his face. “I can handle some punishment. “

Acknowledging his sacrifice, Mikasa bent forward and planted a kiss to his lips, which he quickly took advantage of and buried his hands in her hair, pulling her even closer to deepen it. Their intimate moment was interrupted when there was a shout from the office, indicating that Levi wasn’t very happy about something. 

“What’s up with him? “, Eren asked when they parted.

“He’s on the phone with Kiyomi, talking over the modeling deal. “, she continued dragging her fingers through his hair, clearly putting something together in her head. “That reminds me, I never asked what you think about it. Should I take it? “

“Even though it would be fun to have you only for myself, I don’t own you Miki, its your call. She wants you to work for her, not me. “

“But I want to know what you think about it. “, Mikasa chewed her bottom lip, a bit of embarrassment creeping on her face, “She even wants to do like… bikini shots with me. That doesn’t bother you? “

“Oh, I’m supposed to play the protective boyfriend now? “

“Well I mean, yes? “

“Look Miki. “, he sat up, turning to face her. “I don’t see it as a thing to be angry about. More like, I will imagine the hundreds, no, thousands of people who will look at you in the magazine, look at your body and be like damn, that’s a piece to die for. And I am the only one who gets to touch it, isn’t it…. Kind of hot? “

“Eren, you aren’t imagining me in a bikini right now, are you? “, she asked, noticing the dreamy look that entered his face.

He grinned at her. “What if I am? “

“Then I would tell you to stop. “, she pointed at his crotch, where his excitement was slowly starting to be visible, “Because your gym pants are not very forgiving. “

At least he had the decency to blush. “See, I told you that my problem might return, and now it’s back. What a bother. “

“Oh, is that it? Then I guess we should hurry home to take care of it again. “

“Is the nurse going to make an appearance? “

Eren’s grin was infectious. 

“Most definitely. “

 

Armin was nervous. No, nervous didn’t even come close to describing it. He could feel his guts twisting inside him, needles prickling under his skin. Annie didn’t call, but out of nowhere she sent him a message, asking him to meet her. She wanted him to come to a public place, a park where they used to spend time together. As he walked by the benches, he could almost see the memories, of all the good times they had. Armin really hoped that they will create more in the future, that this whole mess will get resolved. Simply said, he missed her. There she was, standing near the fountain. All right let’s do this, he thought to himself and made a beeline to her. 

“Annie! Long time no see! “, she turned to face him, and the expression on her face stopped him dead in his tracks. It was cold. So cold that a single glance turned his insides into ice. 

“Armin. Hi. “

He came to stand close to her, forcing himself to smile, but Annie didn’t return it. “Look, I want to be done with this as fast as possible, so I’ll just jump straight to it. “, she began in a monotone voice, almost as if she was repeating a prepared speech. “We had a good time together, but lately I came to realize that I simply do not have time for this. “

Armin felt like he was just drenched by a bucket of water. “W-What are you saying? “

Annie sighed. “Don’t make this harder then it has to be. You know very well what I’m talking about. “ She looked him straight in the eye. “Armin, I’m breaking up with you. “

“But… why? “

“I have to focus on myself, on my training. This thing we had, I can’t just allow it to hold me back. “

Her voice, it was so fake. She was forcing herself to say those words, Armin could say. “Annie, you don’t believe that. Please if you…“

She took a step back, shaking her head. “We are both adults, so please, act like one. I told you, it’s over. It’s my decision, and I want you to respect it. “

Armin was lost. He was sure Annie wasn’t convinced by her own monologue, but she was trying her hardest to force him to leave her be, there was nothing he could do. Not now. So he dropped his hands and nodded. 

“I understand. “

“All right… okay…. “, she finally smiled, a tiny little thing. “I hope we can remain friends. “

“I would like that. “

“Very well… I… have to go. I guess I’ll see you around, Armin. “

And with that, she left.

 

The beep of Eren’s mobile phone woke him from his slumber, and he groaned, blinking his eyes open. The morning sun was out in full force, shining through the windows. He really wanted to just turn on his other side and go back to sleep, but his dutiful half didn’t let him. What if it was the hospital? What if something happened, and they urgently needed him? His whole body was aching when he finally snapped into the world of living. Eren was rather sure that his back and ass had welts all over it, because last night nurse Mikasa decided to punish him for supposedly not showing her enough respect. When he looked down, he could see a trail of lovebites, starting on his neck and going down his chest and…. Yea, he knew very well where it ended. The woman who was kind enough to impart both the beatings and the bites to him, alongside other things, was still sleeping, her hands coiled tight around his waist. In order not to wake her, he moved slowly, extending his arm and taking the phone in his hand. He glanced on the screen, blinked and looked again, before sitting up and staring in disbelief. Roused by his movements, Mikasa sighed, throwing one arm over her eyes, also in need of more sleep. 

“Miki, babe, you listening? “

“I don’t want to. Let’s just go back to sleep, its too early. “

He chuckled. 

“I bet you want to hear this, right now. “

She slowly dragged her arm down and opened her eyes, looking at him with a slight smile.

“What is it? “

Eren took a deep breath, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.

“Mom is coming home. “


	33. Coming home

Carla Yeager watched the clouds slowly roll around the sides of the airplane, humming to herself. She supposed that it would be entirely understandable if she developed a fear of flying, after what happened to her late husband, but she was never the one to be superstitious. Accidents happen, and Grisha was just unlucky enough to be part of one. Nothing to do about it now. Plus in her line of work, she needed the quick transportation the air provided. The line of work she chose for a very selfish reason, if she was being completely honest to herself. 

This has been her longest time away from home so far. Two years of traveling from one corner of the world to another, all over the places where her charity was active. Africa, Asia, even Europe. She missed home, she missed the people she knew back there, but most of all, she missed her only remaining family, Eren. Carla sighed and rubbed her eyes, hoping to get the tiredness out of them. Of course that they kept in contact, they called and wrote to each other, but that is nothing compared to seeing her son for real, to see him smile and hear him laugh. Now that she thought about it, a smile from him used to be so rare, it almost made her tear up just remembering those days.

 

The day of Grisha’s funeral, Eren changed. He used to be a very lively child, running around with Armin in tow, terrorizing the neighborhood. When they learned about the plane crash, and the death of his father, he was silent for a time, but in the end brushed it off. At least that’s what It seemed like. But then the funeral came, and as the boy watched his father being lowered into his place of final rest, something just clicked together. As if the knowledge about the demise wasn’t real, but seeing it, with his own eyes, cemented it into reality. Grisha was truly gone. Eren didn’t cry during the ceremony, Carla recalled. She was bawling her eyes out, sniffing loudly into a handkerchief, but her son was silent next to her, clutching her hand. Two people were buried that day. Not only Grisha Yeager, but also old Eren. 

Gone were the days of him being a normal child. His fulltime focus became the dream of becoming a doctor, burning anything else from his mind. And Carla supposed that some mothers could be happy with that. After all, he was still perfectly courteous , did very well in school, and overall seemed to be focused on having a bright future. But she just couldn’t forget the child that he was, the quick to anger but adorable little boy that filled the halls of the house with laughter and shouts. Now, he spent all his time either in his room or with Armin, simply ignoring the possibility of socializing on a bigger scale. Carla hoped that time will change that, but years rolled by and he didn’t seem to budge. The only time he seemed to warm up to her was when they started cooking together, activity that seemed to bring back the happier days, when their family was still complete. But every food takes only a set amount of time to complete, and when they were finished, he always returned to his new, cold, self. 

“Eren, honey,”, she asked one morning, just as high-school was nearing its end. “Do you plan on going to the prom? “

“I tried to persuade Armin to wear a dress and come as my date, but dude doesn’t want to for some reason. “, he smiled at her, but as always, it didn’t reach his eyes. They remained cold. “So no, not really. “

“But, you should try…. I’m sure you could enjoy it….“

“Would that make you happy, mother? “

Carla cringed internally. She hated when Eren called her mother, it just sounded so formal. 

“I’ll be happy when you will be happy, Eren. I just want you to try and enjoy things. Please? “

He looked at her, his eyes measuring, and nodded.

“I will go. “

And that was that.

 

Everybody was really surprised when Eren Yeager started asking girls to go to prom with him, but no one was surprised when he snatched one of the most beautiful ones. Being the catch as he was, it only made sense that he would go on the prime path of being the prom king. Carla remembered the day. He looked so handsome in the fitting black suit, and the girl on his arm was stunning. What was her name? Ah, Hitch, that was the one. Carla nodded to herself, proud of her memory for once. And that evening, she allowed herself to hope. That perhaps this will be the turning point in Eren’s life, that he will discover a whole new world of possibilities, that perhaps his prom date might turn into a real relationship. Yet in the morning, when she came down to the living room, Eren was sitting there with his breakfast, as every day before. And when he looked up, she saw that his eyes were the same they always were, nothing changed.

“Good morning mother. “

So Carla did the one thing no parent should ever do to their child. She ran. 

“Of course I can take care of him. “, said grandpa Arlert, leaning on his cane. The old man still had a spark in his eye and spring in his step, something Carla found downright amazing at his age. “But you know Eren, in the end he will end up taking care of me. “ They both laughed at that.

“I’m sorry, I know its very sudden, but the charity needs me. “

That was a bare-faced lie. The charity didn’t need her, especially not on the frontlines. And sure, the extra pair of hands will come in handy, but it was nowhere near necessity. 

“I know what you are going through. “, the old man smiled warmly at her, a gesture she felt like she wholeheartedly didn’t deserve. “It’s been years since my wife died, and sometimes when I wake up in the morning I still expect her to be there next to me. Everyone says that time heals all the wounds, but in case of losing your loved ones, I’m not so sure that it’s true. “

Carla kept her mouth shut and nodded, not telling the truth. She wasn’t running away from the memories of Grisha, or his ghost that remained in their house. She was running away from Eren, from the empty gaze that stalked her thorough the house, from the coldness of his voice, from the way his eyes never smiled even when his mouth did. She was running away because she had no idea what to do. Eren didn’t seem to care much when she told him the news. Just wished her all the best and turned back to his book. And just like that, unceremoniously, she left. 

 

The next months were spent traveling, just like she was now. She and Eren kept in touch, of course, and she was very happy when she heard that he got accepted into his dream college alongside Armin. Carla was just handing out water in Africa, when a message pinged on her phone. When she went on her break and checked it, she saw that it was from Eren, asking if she has time to talk.

“Hey honey, everything okay? “

“Yea mom. “, he chuckled on the other end of the line, “Couldn’t be better. “

“How about the college? Is the dorm okay? You can always rent a place, you know that. “

“No mom, it’s fine, really. I got a room with Armin anyway, can’t leave a bro alone. “

“Well then, if everything is fine, what did you need to talk about? Just want to hear mom’s voice? “

“I… No, that’s not it. “, he sounded nervous all of sudden, “Mom… I… I met someone. “

Carla couldn’t believe her ears. Was it really happening? 

“Uhm… That’s great honey, you made a new friend? “

“I kind of hope we will be more than friends mom. “

“Oh? “

“Yea, she’s a freshman, same as me and Armin. We… talked yesterday, like really long. And I’m meeting her later today again. “

“Oh dear, that is amazing, I’m so happy for you. What’s her name? “

“Mikasa. “

“That sounds Asian. Is her name like those volleyball balls? “

“Yea, she’s half Japanese. And yes, just like the balls. “

“Well, don’t let your old mom keep you. But Eren, I expect a picture, so I can put a face to the beautiful name. Understood? “

He chuckled. “Yes ma’am. “

When he did send her one, Carla felt like her heart could burst from happiness. There he was, her boy, looking into the camera with an easy grin, while sitting next to a girl. She was really pretty, with oriental features, as Carla expected after hearing her name, and short black hair that framed her face. Overall, Mikasa seemed to have strong likeness for the color, because her lips were also painted black, and the top she wore was the same color. There were several necklaces around her neck, with a big silver cross dominating the group. She wasn’t smiling, maybe to keep her image up, but Carla honestly didn’t mind one bit. Because when she looked back at Eren, she noticed something. His eyes, they were smiling as well, the coldness gone. That night, she fell asleep while clutching the picture to her chest, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. It was a long time since she was this happy. 

She met Mikasa only once before, her work keeping her away from home. While Eren’s coldness seemed to melt, as she saw from the photos he was sending her, she found the work really fulfilling. What at the beginning was just a getaway turned into a new meaning for her, helping others filled her heart. There just was something, about helping those in need, to see the children and know that you made their future just a little bit better. And with today’s technology, she could easily direct the charity with just a few calls and using the internet. But when she did return, she immediately called Eren and set up a dinner, to finally meet the one who someone managed to crack the ice Carla could never dent. They cooked together, she and Eren, because that was their thing, the activity that kept them going even after Grisha’s death. Mikasa seemed like a sweet girl, If a bit shy, but Carla didn’t mind. Honestly, all she could see was the way her son’s eyes sparkled when he looked at his girlfriend, the way he absent-mindedly played with the ends of her hair, or the small kisses he pressed to her cheek from time to time. He was happy. 

Eren was very protective back then, and Carla was afraid not to say anything awkward, so the dinner was done in a very polite spirit, which of course left her a lot of spicy questions she wanted answered. Now, after two years, she thought that its high time to get to know the girl a bit more. Carla haven’t talked to Eren for a long time, a construction of a new hospital in India taking all her free time, but she hoped that the two of them were still together. 

 

There was a creak and the plane jumped slightly as they touched the ground, waking her up from her thoughts. She watched the city as they made the turn on the runway, and when the flight attendant finally gave the cue that they can leave their seats, she could hardly keep herself from running out. And when she finally emerged from the plane, looking over the familiar buildings, she couldn’t keep herself from smiling.

She was home.


	34. Kids are a lot of work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa and Levi centered chapter, trying to shine a bit of light on their past. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Levi put down the phone, shaking his head in disbelief. Kiyomi was impossible to deal with, swear to god, and one hell of a negotiator. Yet if he was honest, he didn’t really care. The fact that he was negotiating a modeling deal for Mikasa, who just a few years back wouldn’t show a piece of bare skin in public, was still so hard to believe that he sometimes found himself wondering if he shouldn’t pinch himself to wake up. Levi snorted. It was the Yeager brat, his influence on her was massive. He just had to pretend he wasn’t that happy with it all, or he might just start thinking that Levi actually rather likes him. Blasphemy. 

Leaning back in his chair, he scanned the office around him. The cup Mikasa won was sitting snugly behind him on a shelf, for everyone to see. The damn thing made him feel like a belle of the ball, with the number of sponsorships offers he received. And now the fashion mogul and her obsession with having his sister on a frontpage. Just a few years back, he would laugh at someone who would tell him he would be having these problems. Yet here he was, and watching the light glisten on the golden trophy, he couldn’t help but remember the days when his life was hardly filled with stuff like this. 

 

“I’ll take care of her. “

That statement silenced the lady who was just talking about different orphanages and their rates of adoption. 

“I beg your pardon? “, she asked, not believing what she heard. 

“I said I’ll take her in. No orphanages. “

“But she’s nine years old, and you are in college. Please, think about it. “, she put a hand on his shoulder, perhaps to show support, but he had to fight with himself not to jerk away from her. “I know that right now you are in pain, and so is your sister. It’s a tragedy what happened, but you can’t let it ruin the rest of your lives. So please, think about yourself, and put Mikasa up for adoption. Once you have a job and you have secured a stable income, you can put yourself back in her life. But don’t ruin both your futures by this. “

Ruin their futures? Fuck the lady, what did she know. Ackerman family held together, no matter what. 

“I said I’ll take her in, you can’t change my mind. “

She sighed. 

“Are you really the only surviving family member? “

“There’s uncle Kenny, but he’s not a suitable pick. Look him up, you’ll see. “

They did and had to agree with Levi that man wanted for murder, kidnapping and human trafficking is not the one to raise a young girl. So after a few more meetings and a background check, he got the custody of his sister. 

And that was that.

 

Even all those years back, Levi remembered the silent drive back to his flat, or the way Mikasa’s grey eyes scanned the small apartment when she first entered. 

“It’s….cozy. “

Levi snorted. Nine years old, and she already had better manners than he ever did.

“It’s small, I know. “, he reached down and ruffled her hair, “But we’ll make do. “

Getting by proved to be a bit more difficult than he expected. Mikasa had terrible nightmares at start, which required him holding her hand until she fell asleep, and still there were night where she woke up screaming. One evening, after she finally fell asleep and he was sitting over some bills, he was confronted by a truth he didn’t like to see. Levi didn’t smoke, but he still lit up a cigarette to calm his nerves while his eyes slid over the rows of tiny black numbers and words. There was no way around it. As it was, they couldn’t keep living like this. He had a choice in front of him, either he would finally cave in under the pressure and give Mikasa up for adoption, or he would quit college and start working full time. He gritted his teeth as he put the cigarette out. As if that was ever a choice.

The old man who owned the gym he worked in was surprised when he asked for a full-time contract but gave it to him readily. After all, Levi did everything that was needed around it. Cleaned it, took care of the machines, and even worked as personal trainer  
for some of the regulars. They survived. Levi wasn’t a perfect parental figure for his sister, but he did good enough. He cut down on his social life a lot, to be able to spend time with her, helped her with homework and overall did his best to fill the hole in her heart. The only thing that was beyond him was cooking. Levi loved cleaning, loved making everything in his small apartment spotless, and for the same reason he hated preparing food, because it dirtied everything. They survived on takeout and instant food, it was good enough. Luckily for them both Mikasa was very self-sufficient, even at her young age, never asking for much. 

 

“So what do people do here? “, she asked one day when they were in the gym. Levi was finishing his shift and Mikasa sometimes came there after school to watch and spend time with her brother. 

“Work out. “

“Why? “

Levi straightened and scratched the back of his neck, watching her. “Multitude of reasons, really. Some want to lose weight, some want to shape their bodies, some want to get strong. Doesn’t matter, if they come here, they are welcome. “

She seemed satisfied with his answer, so he turned his back and continued in his work, only to quickly turn around when he heard a loud sound of a barbell being dropped on the ground. He was just preparing the angriest possible monologue on the unfortunate individual, when he saw that the one who dropped the weight was no one else but his sister.

“Jesus Christ brat, “, he ran over to her, checking her up for injuries, but she didn’t seem hurt. “What are you doing? “

“I… I want to get strong! “, she said and bent down, tugging at the barbell and trying to pick it up. She couldn’t move it an inch though, it was way too heavy for her. 

“Look kid, this is… this is not how it works. You need to…“, seeing that she was still trying to pick it up, he shook his head. “Please stop. “

There were small tears of anger forming in the corners of her eyes, but she didn’t stop. Stubborn, just like I am, Levi thought to himself. He crouched to be on eye level with her. “Listen, why do you need to get strong? “

“If I was strong back then, mom and dad wouldn’t get killed, would they? “, the tears were flowing down her cheeks now, “I… I can’t lose anyone else, not again. Not again…“

Levi felt a tug at his heart when he heard that. So that’s what this was about. She wanted to get strong to protect her remaining family, because she couldn’t bear losing it again. He sighed. 

“All right let’s make a deal then. “

She finally looked up, stopping in her fruitless activity.

“If you listen to me, I’ll help you get strong. But you must follow every command I give you, understand? “

She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand but nodded.

“All right. For starters, there is nothing for you here, not yet. You are too young. “

Mikasa seemed that she was about to argue about that, but he held up a hand to stop her.

“First, I will train you with your own bodyweight. Running, sit-ups, push-ups, all that fun stuff. Your body is still in development and putting too much strain on it early could harm you. Okay? “

In the end, she seemed to give in into his authority. Reluctantly. 

“Okay. “

 

So he started training her. No hard stuff to begin with, but as her endurance went up, he kept increasing the distance to run, or the number of pushups to do. He half expected Mikasa to grow bored of it, but she never did. She obeyed his every command and followed every instruction, all with the same look of determination on her face. When she grew up a bit, Levi noticed that she has quite a talent for fighting and signed her up for multiple sports to scratch that itch. Mikasa ended up trying most of them but stuck with kickboxing. Years rolled by. The old man died, and to everyone’s surprise left the gym to Levi in his last will. He got several offers from people wanting to buy it from him, but he declined them all. Somehow, he knew it would feel like betraying the old man’s trust. 

Mikasa grew up, and started hanging out with an interesting crowd, dressing all in black and listening to music Levi wouldn’t even call music in the first place. She even started smoking for a time but gave that up after about a week. He didn’t judge. If she wanted to paint her lips and nails in a dark color, that was her choice. Other than that, she was still doing okay in school and most of her free time was taken up by the training. She could be religious in that, multiple times Levi caught her with the punching bag going at it until her knuckles were bleeding, scraped raw.

In her personal life, Mikasa never showed any interest in boys, or girls in that matter, romantically. She had some friends, the best one being a completely sweet looking girl called Sasha. Their relationship was a bit of a mystery to Levi, because Sasha wasn’t part of the black clothed group, but somehow, they just clicked together. Mikasa said that they became friends when one day Sasha sat randomly next to her on lunch and asked if she is going to be her friend for a piece of chocolate. A bit stunned by the bluntness, Mikasa agreed, and just like that she had a new bestie. 

When you spend most of your time either at gym or in the ring, it changes you. Mikasa might not have cared for the guys at school, but they surely noticed the way her body changed, shaping her into a very good-looking thing. She was fifteen when Levi got the call from school, summoning him into the principal’s office. When he arrived he saw Mikasa sitting in one of the chairs, arms crossed on her chest. She was wearing her usual attire, which meant combat boots, ripped jeans and tight black t-shirt. More importantly, she was glaring daggers at the boy seated in the other chair, who seemed to shrink into the padding with every second. A woman, most likely his mother, was standing behind him, a supportive hand on his shoulder, while the massive table was occupied by an elderly man, the principal. When Levi came over to Mikasa and stood by her side, he quickly noticed the root of the problem. The boy’s hand was in a cast, and he had a haunted look on his face.

“So, what happened? “, he asked into the silence in the room.

“This bastard, “, Mikasa growled, jerking her chin in the direction of the boy, “thought he can do what he wants. So I put him in his place. Easy. “

“My son, “, interrupted the mother, “was assaulted by your mentally unstable sister. That’s what happened. “

“Please everyone, calm down. “, the principal chimed in, leaning closer on his elbows. “From what I understand, this young man here put his hand on miss Ackerman’s… ehm…. Rear area, and she reacted by breaking the offending limb. Do I have it right? “

“Damn right I did. “, Mikasa nodded.

“How is this okay? “, the woman was borderline hysteric, “So you will just pat her on the back for crippling my boy? What kind of school is this? “

This time it was Levi who reacted.

“Now listen lady. No one is patting anyone on the back, but she didn’t start this. If your “boy” can’t respect the privacy of other people and felt himself entitled to grope whoever he wishes, then you should be thanking Mikasa for showing him the truth. “

The woman gaped at him. “What? You think you are getting away with this? I’ll sue! “

“It’s either that, “, the principal cut in, “or we just all forget about this. If you sue miss Ackerman for assault, then she can do the same for sexual harassment. Do you want to take that to the court? Have your son branded as a molester? “

“But-But he didn’t do anything! He just touched her ass for god’s sake. “

“And I just broke his arm, he should be grateful. “ Mikasa looked downright scary, glaring at the pair. The boy did his best to try and disappear into the chair, edging away from her as much as possible. “I swear to god that if he tries that again, ill fuck him up so much that you won’t even recognize him. “

“Mikasa! Enough! “, this time it was Levi who was glaring at her. Defending yourself is more than okay, but threatening someone? Seriously? She grunted and looked away.

In the end, they both agreed not to press any charges, and the angry woman took her son and left. The boy looked more than happy to finally get away form the room Mikasa was in, shooting scared glances on her all the way out. After that, the principal took Levi for a word and said that while he understands, he will in no way tolerate future violence from his sister. The ride back home was silent, with Mikasa looking out of the window and Levi doing his best to piece together something of a speech to try and show her the error of her ways.

“Look Mikasa I…“

“You what? Want to give me a lesson? You? “

“Hey! I know I’m not your father, but I raised you god damn it. How about you show me some fucking respect! “

She laughed. “I’m so sorry for having my parents killed when I was nine and burdening your life ever since. Rest assured that I never wanted that to fucking happen! “

“No… that’s…. not what I meant. “ Levi sighed. This was way harder than he expected it to be. “You just can’t punch all your problems away, that’s not how it works! “

“Why not? “

“Because you’ll end up all alone, that’s why! “

She snorted.

“Seems like it worked out for you. “

He had nothing. Stunned by her answer, he just stared at her, trying to think of something to say. But she gave him no time to recover.

“Fuck this, I’m out. “, with that, she left, the door crashing closed behind her.

He called after her, but she was gone. Levi gritted his teeth, really wanting someone, or something to punch. So he punched the wall. 

When he finished fixing the hole and took care of his bleeding knuckles, he waited for her to come home, but she didn’t. That was the biggest fight they had, and he had seriously no idea how to deal with it, so he just sort of…didn’t. When she came back the next day, neither of them was willing to talk about it, so they just let it go. Although she didn’t change her clothing habits, Mikasa grew more relaxed in the coming years, learning to control her anger better. Sasha was a big help, with her casual and laid-back nature she could often talk with her friend about problems she didn’t want to share with Levi. And then, one day, the high school was over and Mikasa was leaving for college, where she got accepted with an athletic scholarship. She could choose, actually, a lot of schools wanted to grab the rising kickboxing star. 

 

“You sure you want to live in the dorm? It’s just about hour and a half drive. “, Levi said, watching her put her packed things into the back of Sasha’s car. 

“I’ll be okay. We already have a room with Sasha, so you don’t have to worry. “ Mikasa put the last bag in, straightening. “We will still see each other in the gym, don’t worry. “

“Please. Worry? Me? You are talking like I will miss you or something. “

Mikasa chuckled. 

“I know. “

There was silence after that, with Levi having no idea what to say. Mikasa was the one to make the first move, pulling him into an awkward hug. Damn woman was already so much taller than he was, he realized painfully. But he hugged her back regardless, she was his sister, right? 

“Levi…I….“, she bit her lower lip, looking at him with those gray eyes, so much emotion in them that Levi had problems holding his own back. 

“Just go brat. “, he said, waving her away, doing his best to appear that he doesn’t really care.

“Thank you. “, was all she said, and turned her back to him. Levi heard the car door close and the engine start, and soon they were gone in a cloud of dust. When he was sure that he was alone, he carefully wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.

“They grow up so fast. “, he said to no one in particular, and went back into the apartment, that seemed somewhat empty all of a sudden. 

 

They still saw each other on a regular basis, since he was her trainer and all, but Levi never felt so alone when he was back home. He just hoped… he just hoped that she won’t end up like him, that was all. So when she called one day saying that she met someone, he said whatever, like I care, but on the inside, he was so incredibly happy. And now that someone was engaged to her. Funny how things like that just happen. Levi glanced up to check on his office clock, seeing that it was about time to get out if he wanted to meet Hange for coffee. He pushed himself up from the table and grabbed his coat, making sure that he put out all the lights before locking the door and walking towards his car. Maybe it was high time he also made some changes in his personal life.


	35. The second date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another past chapter, this time about their second date, because i like doing them, and no one can stop me.  
> No one. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Mikasa Ackerman was not, in any possible or imaginable way, nervous. Nope. Not even a little bit. Nuh-uh. The fact that she was staring at her meager collection of clothes splayed on her bed for the last fifteen minutes was just a pure coincidence. It was in no way connected to the fact that she had a date later today. Her. A date. How did that happen again?

“You know Miks, you actually have to put those clothes on, just angrily staring at them ain’t gonna cut it. “

She almost jumped out of her skin. Sasha didn’t seem to care much for the fact that she just almost killed her, stretching on the mattress where she somehow found a place in between the clothing.

“Sasha! What…What the hell are you doing here? “

She frowned at her from behind her phone.

“You asked me to come, don’t you remember? To help you pick an outfit for that mysterious suitor of yours. “

“He’s not my suitor! What the hell. “ Or at least he wasn’t. Yet.

Sasha didn’t seem to care for her vehement denial, putting down her phone and sitting up on the bed. She started going through Mikasa’s collection, pulling some stuff out and throwing it back down carelessly. 

“Oh look, you have such a variety in colors! Black, black, black, and look another black. Damn, this one has red stripes, innovation! “

Mikasa couldn’t help it. So what that she had a favorite color? All right, maybe she was going a bit overboard. A tiny, little bit. Sasha didn’t care though, and soon picked up some pieces that fitted good together, in her opinion, and threw it at her roommate. 

“Here, try these. “ When Mikasa turned her back to her and pulled her shirt over her head, Sasha plopped back into the bed, laying down. “So you like this guy….eeh, what was his name again? “

“Eren. And why would I go out with him if I didn’t like him? “

“I dunno. It’s not like you ever dated before. “

“Yea well maybe you should stop grilling me and give me some tips. “ Mikasa frowned at her friend when she peeked out of the black, surprisingly, top she picked for her, “Aren’t you the expert here? “

“Yes I am! “, Sasha was right in her element, “Tips you say. Hmmm…“ She tapped her chin. “Let me ask you a question first though. Do you really, really like him? “

“I don’t know! Jesus, all we did was talk for one night. “

“I don’t even remember talking to a guy for that long. Well, except maybe my dad. “, she chuckled, “You should treasure that. “

“You know what? All right, okay, I like him. I have this feeling…. That we knew each other before, you know. “

“Ooh, past lives, that’s so romantic. “

She frowned. “Shut up Sasha. “

“Anyway, back to my original point. “, she checked her phone again, before putting it down and looking right into Mikasa’s eyes. “You want my advice? If you like him, you should fuck him. “

Mikasa almost choked on air. 

“W-What? “

“Hm? Why so surprised? “, Sasha arched her eyebrow at her friend, “You said you liked him, right? “

“Yea but, this is like our second date, why the hell should I sleep with him so early? “

“Early? “, Sasha giggled, “You are eighteen, Miks, you are late, not early. “ When she saw that the goth was still stunned by her statement, she sighed. “C’mon, would it be so bad? Is he that ugly? “

“N-No… No. He’s good looking. Kind of. “

“See? So what’s the problem? I’m sorry to burst your bubble my dear, but guys are usually way more interested in your body than your personality, at least at start. So use it. Hook, line and sinker. It’s easy, really. “

Would it really be so bad? Eren seemed like a really nice guy, didn’t look half bad, and the talk they had was relaxing. So yea, she liked him, she liked him a lot. And Sasha was right after all, maybe it was high time to have her cherry popped, in a manner of speaking.

“Look, I’ll sleep over at my friend’s tonight, okay? So if you decide that you want to take my advice, take him here and, “, she winked at her, “do what you gotta do. “

Mikasa nodded, half to herself, half to her friend. “Thanks Sasha, I’ll… I’ll think about it. “

“Now then, “, she pushed herself from the bed, looking critically over Mikasa’s outfit before smiling. “You are hot, girl, he’ll fall for you on the first sight. Come here, so I can fix your hair. You want a ponytail? “

 

Eren was nervous, he had no intention of denying it. He couldn’t really sleep, the expectation rising higher thorough the whole day. He liked the girl, there was no way around it. She was smart, funny, and yea, fucking beautiful. Honestly, he didn’t even know why she was even spending time with someone like him. When he asked Armin how he looked in his freshly ironed shirt and jeans, he looked him up and down with a slight grin. 

“Like an idiot. “, he shrugged, “So no change from a normal day. “

“Thanks buddy. “

“Always here to help. “

So yea, he wasn’t feeling exactly confident as he stood next to the fountain where they agreed to meet, scanning the crowd for her. There she was, looking perhaps even more perfect than the last time he saw her. When she noticed him, her features seemed to light up, and she walked over to where Eren was standing.

“Hey. “

“Hey yourself. “

There it was, the silence they both feared. Last time they talked, they had the alcohol to break through their usual shyness, but now they had nothing. Here, in public, neither of them knew what to say. That was, until Eren finally decided to man up a bit.

“Come on, I know a spot. “, he said, gesturing for her to follow. 

 

It was a nice one, Mikasa thought, a patch of grass with sun shining right at them. The earth was warm beneath her, where she was sitting, with Eren right next to her. 

“So, here we are. “

He nodded. “Here we are. “

“What you want to do now? “

“Well, “ he scratched the back of his head, “ I need to take a picture. “ 

“ A picture? “ 

“ Yep, for my mom. “ , he shuffled closer a bit and pulled out his phone. She stared at the camera as he took a quick selfie, satisfied. 

“So…. What now? “, she asked, a bit embarrassed by what just happened.

“How about we take a nap? “

“What? “

He grinned at her. 

“Listen, Mikasa, we are both completely new to this dating thing, right? So I just thought, there are no rules we have to follow, right? We can do whatever we want, whenever we want to do it, as long as it’s comfortable for us both. “

His logic was rather sound, now that Mikasa thought about it. They really didn’t have to follow any rules, there was no big dating book to read. 

“I guess you are right. “, she nodded.

“Okay then, “he licked his lips, suddenly looking embarrassed as he looked her up and down, his mind clearly chewing on some problem. “Listen, Mikasa, could I…. Could I lay down on your legs? “He gestured around. “There is nothing else to use. “

She blushed furiously when he said it but nodded. After all, she felt comfortable with him around. Careful, he slowly lowered his head on her thighs, sighing in relief. That felt… nice. He closed his eyes, content to just doze off for a few minutes. Mikasa watched him, shaking her head when she saw the way his body relaxed.

“You shouldn’t trust me like this. “

“Hmm? “, he replied, not bothering to open his eyes.

“I could kill you right now. “

All right, that got his attention. “What are you talking about? “

“Here. “, she pulled one of her legs from under his head and curled it at the knee, wrapping it around his neck. “I could cut off your air like this, easily. “

Oh damn, choked to death by her thighs. Wouldn’t that be the perfect way to go. She must have noticed his smile, because her frown deepened. “What are you grinning about? “

He shook his head. “We can do what we want, but trying to kill me on our second date is taking it a little bit too fast, don’t you think? “

She pulled her leg from his throat, the heat once again rising in her cheeks. This position, him so close, it was way too intimate for now, she needed a change. “Listen Eren, why don’t we go to my dorm? It’s close, and we can watch Tv there or something. “ She took a deep breath. “And I’ll give you a ride. “

He opened his eyes, ready to ask what kind of ride they were talking about, but she was already standing up which forced him to move fast in order to follow her. They passed through the crowds of other students, who were out and enjoying the day. She walked quick, and didn’t look back at him, which made him wonder if he did something wrong. Maybe taking a nap on their date wasn’t the way to go after all. But Armin told him to act natural, so he did. He just hoped that she wasn’t too mad at him. When they reached her room she was fumbling with the keys, and even dropped them once before she managed to open the lock. What was she so nervous about? 

“I can’t help but wonder, “, he said as they entered the room, “what was the ride you were talking about? “

“Isn’t that obvious? “, she finally turned to face him, “You are going to ride me, silly. “

He stared at her, robbed of words by her sudden bluntness that came literally out of nowhere. Mikasa didn’t seem to agree with just looking, because she grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of what he guessed was her bedroom. 

 

Their clothes littered the floor, with Mikasa doing most of the work because Eren was simply stunned by the direction this day took. Her shirt was the first to fall off, with his soon following, and before he could react she pulled her skirt and tights off, and just like that, there was nothing on her body but her underwear. She could feel his heat as she pulled him on top of her. Eren’s brain finally seemed to catch up with the situation he was in, and his lips traced down her neck, nipping at her collarbones. Mikasa turned her head away, hoping that he will think that she did it just to give him more space. In truth, she couldn’t look at him. Constantly, she had to turn down her instincts that screamed at her to push the body on top of her away. He’s not trying to hurt you, damn it. But it was no use. She wasn’t used to this, she didn’t want it. Mikasa closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, hoping to god that Eren will just get a move on and finish this as quickly as possible. If this is what it takes to stay with him, she was willing to do it. He finally made a move, his hand coming down to touch her between the legs. Just a few more minutes she thought to herself, a bit of pain, few thrusts, and boom, it will be done. Just bear with it a little longer. But out of nowhere, he stopped.

“Mikasa, you are shaking. “

“W-What? I am... I am not shaking! “

Yes, she was.

He stared down at her, propped up on his arms, a confused look on his face.

“What’s wrong? “

“Nothing…“, she licked her lips to get some moisture at them but couldn’t look at him. Not yet. “Nothing’s wrong, just do it. F-Fuck m-me. “

He finally broke through the barrier of want and lust that clouded his vision and got a good look at her. She was shivering, her teeth were pressed together as if to prevent them from clicking, her whole face scrunched in fear and maybe partly disgust. Her hands were pulled up in a position of surrender, and he could see the way her muscles were pulled tight, strained beneath her skin. She was fighting herself, maybe not to push him maybe, maybe not to cover her chest, but it didn’t matter. Out of all these things, one truth was clear to him. Mikasa didn’t want this, not here, not now, and for some reason she was forcing herself. There was no way in hell he would go with that.

“No. “

She finally turned her head to look at him, her eyes landing on his face. “N-No? “

“Nope. “

Out of nowhere, Mikasa felt a completely unreasonable wave of anger rising in her. On him, on Sasha and her stupid advices, but most of all on herself, for doing this stupid shit. “So you are not going to do it? “, She asked for the last time.

He shook his head.

“Then get off me you fucking pussy! “

With that, she shoved him away, using both hands, with a way more strength than she intended. The power took him right off, and he flew away before landing on the ground with a loud crash. The anger she felt quickly turned into regret and fear. She sat up and hid her face behind her hands, knowing that she fucked everything up again. The nicest guy she meets, and she tries to force herself to sleep with him on the second date and when he calls her bluff she basically punches him. Any moment now, he would pick himself up from the floor, call her a stupid bitch, rightfully, and slam the door behind him on the way out. And she would never see him again. The tears started flowing down her cheeks on their own, falling down and drenching the material of her bra. But the slam of the doors she feared never came. Instead, she could feel the dip of the bed beneath her, as another body sat down next to her. Out of nowhere, a hand slowly draped over her shoulders, and Eren pulled her close, letting her put her head on his shoulder. 

“W-Why? “, was all she managed to push out in between her sobs, not understanding how he could be comforting her after the shit she pulled.

“Shush, just let it out. “

So she did. 

 

When she was finally done and had no more tears to spill, she blinked her eyes open to see that he was watching her with a worried expression on his face.

“You okay? “, he asked.

“Eren… Why are you still here? “

“You don’t want me to? “

“No! I mean yes! I want you here, please don’t leave. “

He grinned at her. “I’m not going anywhere. “

“I just… I don’t understand… After what I did, how can you still be here? “

“Mikasa, why did you even try that thing in the first place? It’s obvious that you didn’t want it. “

“I….“, she bit her bottom lip, “My friend suggested that I should… sleep with you to keep you interested… in me. “

“That’s stupid. “ Eren shook his head, “You are interesting as you are, you don’t need to use your body for that. “

“Look I’m…. sorry... I fucked up everything. “

“Nah. You didn’t, it’s fine. Let’s just forget about this, okay? “

There was nothing she’d rather do. “Okay. “

“Now then, “, he smiled at her, “Let’s do the thing we came here to do in the first place. A nap! “

She nodded, and he reached down on the floor, picking up his shirt and handing it over to her. She took it gladly for two reasons. First, she really wanted to cover herself, it was in her nature, and secondly, taking his shirt meant that he is going to sleep shirtless. Win-win situation. Using the remnants of her boldness, she slipped the clothing over her head, and dug her hands beneath, unclipping her bra and throwing it away. It wasn’t comfortable to sleep in it. Together, they lay down on the bed, and she used his bare chest as a pillow, tracing symbols into his skin with the tip of her finger. His hand dropped down to her waist, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, which made her smile in return. Mikasa drifted off first, and Eren watched her sleep for a bit, saw the way her features softened when she wasn’t conscious. Her warm breath was spreading over his chest, and seemed to seep into it, right under his skin, warming him inside and out. This girl in his arms, she was beautiful, no doubt, but she was also hurt, deep down, and as Eren followed her into the realm of dreams, he wondered if he will be able to help her, even a little bit. 

 

He woke up first. When he opened his eyes, he saw that even in her sleep, she never truly escaped from her inner demons. Mikasa was clutching to him, her hands holding tight, wrapped beneath his arms and resting on his back. He could see that her eyes were moving beneath her lids, and she was whispering something, fragments of words in Japanese, he didn’t understand a thing. 

“Hey… It’s okay, I’m here. “, he didn’t know what prompted him to say those words, but seeing her distressed like this, it just made him want to protect her. Silly, wasn’t it. He reached out carefully and stroked her hair, hoping that he will calm her. Mikasa seemed to react well to the touch, and she fell silent, her grip slackening as she drifted off to the deeper sleep. That brought Eren’s attention back to the initial reason that he woke up. He really needed to take a leak. As gently as possible, he untangled himself from her, and tiptoed away from the bed in the search of bathroom. When he returned after relieving himself, he saw that she already found a replacement for him, clutching the pillow instead. He chuckled and stretched, feeling rather well rested, and… hungry. Perhaps there was something he could cook. With that, he left once again on his epic quest, this time to find the kitchen.

Mikasa blinked her eyes open, letting go of the pillow she was holding for some reason. She sat up and yawned, scratching the back of her head. The sky behind the windows was dark, indicating that it was evening, or maybe even night. Damn, did she really sleep for half a day? And where was Eren? She blushed when she remembered all the dumb things she did just a few hours back, hoping that he didn’t sneak out when she fell asleep. But her worries where soon put to rest when she heard someone moving in the kitchen. Mikasa slid down from the bed and padded over to the door, curious to see what he was up to. 

Eren heard the door open and turned around to greet her with the same grin he had when she fell asleep. “Morning. “

“Morning? “¸she yawned again, stretching her hands over her head, feeling all muscles in her body tense before relaxing, “More like evening, no? “

He was just preparing his witty reply, but his thoughts were cut short. She was standing there, wearing nothing but her panties and his shirt, stretching, and he could literally feel himself catching fire. Not to mention that he was rather sure he could drill diamonds with a certain part of his body. Averting his gaze, he coughed, ears burning red. “I-I wanted to cook something. For us. But the fridge is…. Interesting. “

She frowned and walked over to it, opening the door. Oh. The food there was marked with bright yellow stickers, branding all of the edibles as “Sasha’s, don’t touch!”. 

“Look it’s fine, “, Eren said, “Let’s just go out and grab a bite. “

Finding herself quite hungry, she agreed, but when she was passing him he grabbed her hand. Mikasa looked up at him with an arched eyebrow, but he just smirked down at her.

“I’m going to need my shirt back. “

 

The place he picked was rather busy, even at this hour, frequented by other students. It was no surprise, honestly. They served pizza, burgers, fries and hotdogs, all the kind of food that the young desired. When they found a table, and Mikasa could finally take a bite out of her slice, she easily discovered another reason why it was so crowded. It was delicious. But while Eren seemed to be content with just chewing on his portion, she felt the need to say something, after the fail of a date they had. 

“Eren? I’m really sorry, again. “

He just shook his head. “Don’t be. “

“I just…. I’m not used to this. “, she felt herself blush a bit, “But I want it, I really do. “

“Want what? “

Damn, why were some words so hard to say?

“I want us to be…. Intimate. “

“Then let’s take it slow. “, he swallowed, and took another bite, “We are in no rush, right? Since this is my first time dating anyone, and it’s the same for you, let’s just move at our own pace. “

“You mean it? “

“I do. “, he looked up at her, licking his lips and putting together what he wanted to say. “Mikasa, I know that it’s usually different. People sleep together on first, second dates, no problem. But… I didn’t have anyone for eighteen years, I have no problem with waiting. I don’t want my first time to be bad for you. I don’t want you to remember it as a painful experience, where you counted every second until I finished and was left with nothing but discomfort and sweat. When it happens, I want us both to enjoy it, as much as we can. “

The monologue done, he looked back on the table, blushing a bit. But Mikasa reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it. “I would like that. “ 

He looked back up, managing a grin to appear on his lips. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then? For lunch? “

Mikasa had a smile of her own when she leaned over the table and whispered “It’s a date then. “, before kissing him. She had to remember to thank Sasha, because in the end, everything seemed to turn out better then she expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought about giving this some link into the present, but in the end decided against it, because it felt way too forced.  
> More chapters to follow soon, if I find the motivation to do them, that is. 
> 
> Till next time!


	36. Rocky road of intimacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That feeling when you just start writing one day and end up with 5k words of first-times between your two favorite dorks.  
> Thanks to my beta reader who helped me sort this mess out!
> 
> Enjoy!

Mikasa always liked watching movies. Living with Levi, nothing was more relaxing than coming home and sitting down next to him on the old couch he owned, focusing on whatever was playing on the screen. The short exchanges they had, that was their way of communication.

“How was school? “

“Fine. How was work? “

“Good. “

“Nice. “

And that was all they needed. 

 

Now while Eren also shared her passion for film, watching movies with him presented a new set of problems. 

“Hey, I want to see this one. “

“What’s stopping you? “

Mikasa turned her head just enough to frown at him, but his smile didn’t waver. Neither did his hands which he sneaked under the hem of her shirt. Again. Sure, logically speaking, all she had to do was get off his lap and go sit somewhere else on the sofa, but that would mean losing his body heat and while she complained, to keep up her image of a pure girl, she did enjoy the gentle grope of his fingers. Giving him the most disapproving look she could muster at the moment, she turned back towards the screen. His resolve didn’t crumble however, and soon she could feel the slow advance as he dived back in. The tips of his fingers pressed into her midriff, tracing the outlines of her abs. For some reason, Eren was oddly fascinated with them. The movie they were supposed to be watching was good, she picked it herself, but her boyfriend seemed way more interested in pushing the neckline of her top as far as possible, so he can kiss a trail from her neck to her shoulder and back. Assaulted from multiple fronts, Mikasa’s resolve was slowly but surely fading away, but she held on, refusing to look back at him and his stupid sexy smile. She wouldn’t give in, not again, not after Eren already ruined the Lord of the Rings marathon, and they just ended up making out in the middle of Two towers. This time she would….what the hell was poking her in the ass? Eren wouldn’t be stupid enough to keep the remote on his lap, would he? But then she shifted her position, in an attempt to get comfortable again, and when he groaned behind her she finally connected the dots.

“Sorry, “, he murmured into the crook of her neck, “can’t really help it. “

“Maybe it wouldn’t happen if you’d just watch the damn movie, no? “

“That’s an interesting idea. “, he looked up, eyes sparkling, “but I’m not willing to try it. “

She sighed. Sometimes this guy was really a handful. But she had to admit that he was keeping his word. It was already a month since their second date, and he seemed completely content with taking it slow, just as he said. They kissed a lot, sure, and sometimes his hands wandered to places they’ve never been before, but that was it. To her own surprise, Mikasa found herself wanting more, wishing that he would actually squeeze her breasts instead of just skimming his fingers over them, or that he would sometimes dip his hand lower instead of keeping it above her waist. Before she realized what she was doing, she turned around, pushed him down and grabbed Eren’s wrists, pressing them to the couch as she straddled him. 

“What’s this for? “, he asked, the lopsided grin she loved wide on his face. 

“How am I supposed to focus when your stupid erection keeps digging into my butt? “

“Hey, its not stupid! Plus you are the reason I have one so…. Just deal with it? “

“Oh I’ll deal with it. “, Eren’s eyes widened as he felt Mikasa’s hand travel downwards, dipping her fingers under the hem of his sweats.

“Wait, what are you… Mikasa! “

“Shush. “

She was determined now. The look he had on his face when she pulled down his pants to free his hardness was priceless. And when Mikasa’s fingers curled around him, it got even better. 

“Babe, you… are you sure? “, he managed to say over the sound of blood rushing in his ears. He wanted her, god knows he did, but he would never force her to do anything, not in his life. But this was her decision, her will, and most definitely her hand that just started stroking him, somehow managing to feel hundred times better than his own. 

She didn’t respond. Instead, she pressed herself closer to him and took advantage of his opened mouth, pressing her tongue inside. The kiss was as messy as humanly possible, but neither of them cared. Mikasa loved this. It felt like she was holding the control stick to Eren’s body, any small movement she did getting a reaction out of him. When she twisted her wrist a bit, he moaned. When she pressed her thumb against the head, his eyes rolled back, and she could feel his body shuddering under her. He couldn’t even kiss her back as his head fell backwards against the sofa, and she could feel his hips moving into her palm on their own. She wanted to see it closer, just how much she was affecting him, so she dropped down between his legs, watching him pulse between her fingers. In retrospective, it wasn’t such a good idea. Eren tried to warn her, but she was just moving too fast, her hand going up and down at murderous tempo, while she kept circling the most sensitive area with her thumb, sending his brain into overdrive. 

“Mika…“, was all he managed.

She looked up, curious about what he wanted to say, and exactly at that moment he lost control. His hips jerked up for the last time and he came, his load landing on the nearest surface possible. Which just happened to be her face. 

“Eren what the fuck! “, she straightened, horrified, not knowing what to do about the stuff that was coating her cheek. Even though the last shocks of his orgasm were still running through his body, he reached over to hand her a box of paper wipes, which she took while giving him a look that made him wonder just how long his remaining lifespan really is. 

“I have some in my fucking hair, god damn it. “, she growled, religiously cleaning herself. 

“I-I’m so sorry, I tried to say something, but you just….“, he shook his head, “ you are too much. “

While that statement secretly pleased her, it still didn’t change the fact that she had just taken a face full of him, and even with the wipes she wasn’t feeling exactly clean. Not to mention that she will probably have to cut her hair to get it out. She sighed again, feeling the anger slowly die down inside her. After all, was it really so bad?

“Miki, let me take care of this, “ he said, making her look at him with raised eyebrow.

“What do you mean? “

Eren was already standing up, pulling her along. “Let’s take a bath, I’ll clean you. “

She could feel her cheeks burning. They haven’t really… been naked with each other before, although shirts were often thrown off during their make out sessions. Fuck it, she thought to herself, and followed him to the bathroom, she legit just wanked him off. This wasn’t really that different was it?

 

For all the awkwardness she feared, this actually felt rather nice, Mikasa had to admit. The water was warm all around her, that combined with Eren’s own body heat pressed into her from behind created a very pleasant atmosphere. True to his word, he washed her hair, dragging his fingers through her silky black strands gently until she was satisfied and once again feeling clean enough to show her face to the outside world. Now they were just relaxing, with her frowning at him because he was hard again. Even with this complication however, she managed to find a place where it didn’t bother her enough to open her eyes, and just floated in the water, letting her brain slowly go over the fact that their relationship seemed to be taking leaps and bounds forward. And for some reason, she didn’t find herself minding it one bit. The fear and disgust she felt the first time they tried it just didn’t come, nothing forced her body to shake and her teeth to grit. It just felt…natural. What did make her open her eyes rather rapidly was the feeling of Eren’s hand creeping down, and not stopping. He made it past her waist and was coming dangerously close to her most private area. 

“W-What are you doing? “, she asked, her voice shaky, but not from fear. Not this time.

“Well I just thought I might return the favor. “, he said, head on her shoulder as he watched the journey of his palm as if it wasn’t his own. “Do you want me to stop? “

She didn’t. Mikasa shook her head, and together they watched as he finally reached his destination. Eren started slow, first touching her on the outside, caressing her, eyes darting between her face and his hand to see how she would react. When he did push a finger inside, her mouth fell open and she moaned, sound he found downright adorable. Eren wanted more, wanted to feel her more and hear her more, wanted to see her cold demeanor crumble beneath his hands. So he kept moving, adding another finger and feeling the way her walls stretched around him. When his adventurous hand found a hard nub hidden between her folds, he pressed against it gently, and was surprised when her head fell back on his shoulder and the sound she made was the definition of hot. 

“Is that good? “, he whispered into her ear.

“Y-Yeah, keep, keep touching that. “, Mikasa had her eyes closed and her features seemed to thaw with every passing second. Determined to see her come undone, Eren changed his hold a bit. The hand that was idle up until now creeped upwards and he took hold of one of her breasts, squeezing it and rolling the, not surprisingly, hard nipple between his fingers. In the same time, he changed the way he pleasured her, once again pushing two fingers in and curling them, and also rubbed his palm against the bud, moving in sync. Mikasa made no effort to be silent, her moans loud in the closed space of the bathroom, overshadowing any sound he could make with the way his fingers moved in and out of her. He could feel her nails as she scratched his nape, her hand pressing into the back of his neck, her hips rocking as she lost control over her body. He had to keep his own from thrusting into her back, because he was seriously way beyond turned on right now. Her moans, the feel of her, the knowledge that it’s him and no one else who’s making her look like the mess she was, that was…. Something else. But Eren managed to keep his cool, to a degree, and kept moving his hands just as she liked, dragging her closer and closer to the edge. When she came, it was with a breathy moan and she buried her face in his neck, breath fanning over his bare skin. Her inside muscles clamped down on his fingers, and just the mental image of how that would feel around his dick instead almost made him finish with her. Eren let her relax, withdrawing from her, and her breathing slowly returned into normal.

“Hey Miki? I love you, and I’m sorry for coming on your face. “

She just chuckled.

 

Birthday celebrations were never big in Mikasa’s life. Of course, back when she had her parents she used to have parties, with all the parade a young girl can wish for. But after coming to live with Levi, they just stopped happening. And honestly, she didn’t really mind, because birthdays are usually spent with your family, and she didn’t need another reminder that her grumpy older brother was her only remaining one. When Eren found out, it was bound to change. 

“I can’t take this. “, she said, staring at the keys in her hand. She looked up to see him sitting on the other end of the sofa with his usual grin. “You can’t just gift me a motorbike. “

“I believe I just did. “, he shrugged, “Really, its not a big deal for me. Plus, I do remember you having a certain obsession with riding. “

Even when her ears were burning from the jab he took on the choice of words she had during their second date, she wasn’t about to back down so easily. “Look, just take it back. “ She thrusted the keys back at him, but all he did was cross his arms on his chest. 

“Nope. “

“Come on! I don’t want to…“, she sighed, embarrassed. 

“Don’t want to what? “, he asked, genuinely curious.

“I know that you are rich, but I don’t want you to be my…. Sugar daddy. “ There, she said it.

“Is that what this is about? Damn. “, he came closer, and lifted her chin, making her look at him. “I gave you this because I love you, and I know you have to carpool with Sasha anytime you need to get somewhere. So just take it, okay? “

“I’ll pay you back. “, she whispered, but when she kissed him they both knew that that promise is hollow.

“Come on. “, he said, standing up and pulling her to her feet, “Let me give you the other thing. “

“Wait, you bought something else? Eren I can’t…“

“Nah, “, he shook his head, the grin on his face not wavering, “I didn’t buy anything. “

Curious, she followed him until she realized that he was leading her to the bedroom. Mikasa felt her blood pounding in her ears at the sight of the bed, with covers removed as Eren clearly prepared it for something. Out of nowhere, she could feel her old insecurities creeping up her spine. Could she really do this? Was she ready? Eren seemed to notice her pause, because he turned around to face her.

“Eren… I don’t… I don’t think I can…“, Mikasa was honestly feeling like an asshole right now. How long were they together? Three months? And he was nothing short of an amazing boyfriend. They gave each other “a hand“ multiple times by now, so why was she feeling so scared all of a sudden? He looked on her and followed her gaze to the bed and then back, realization dawning on his face.

“Wait, no it’s not like that. “

She arched an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation what does a prepared bed and him leading her into it does really mean then. 

“Look I don’t want… that, not now. I just want to…“,he scratched the back of his head, really hoping that there would be a better word for the activity, but he just couldn’t think of any. “I want to….eat you out. Would that be okay? “

Mikasa stared at him for a time, putting together one and one until it finally clicked, and she really wanted a hole to open and just swallow her right where she was standing. 

“You want to do…what? “

“Oh come on, what’s the worst thing that can happen. “

What indeed, she wondered as he pulled her to the bed. Eren seemed determined however, popping her jeans open and pulling them down her legs. 

“Could you take your shirt off? “, he asked, his face also red but the grin somehow still holding.

“Is that really necessary? “

“Well… not really…“, he shrugged, once again scratching the back of his head. God, she was really acting as such a bitch right now. And for no reason, he just wanted to make her feel good damn it. 

“Sorry, I’m just nervous. “, she shot him an apologetic smile and tugged her black top over her head, discarding it on the floor. He rewarded her with a smile of his own as he kneeled between her legs, gently pulling them apart. When he reached for her panties, he did look up to her, waiting to see if she perhaps didn’t want him to continue, but Mikasa steeled herself and raised her hips, letting him expose her delicate bits. Eren actually licked his lips, as if he was getting ready to eat some meal, the pervert, but just as she was about to comment on that he dipped his head down, applying his strategy that sometimes its better to act than to talk. 

Following some advice he found on the internet, he started with slow and wide licks at her center. Mikasa seemed to react well to that, and soon her breaths were uneven as she watched him, wide-eyed. When he deemed her prepared enough, he upped his game, wandering inside her with the tip of his tongue, testing and tasting. Her eyes were glued to his face, but he could see the effect he had on her in other movements of her body. Hand that flew down to his head, or the fingers that clutched to his hair. Normally, Mikasa would find all of this disgusting. After all, he really didn’t hold back, using not only his tongue but also his lips, creating a really weird sounds from time to time. But for some reason she couldn’t phantom, it felt pretty good. Eren had no experience whatsoever, but he was more than making up for it with his enthusiasm and willingness to please her. He watched her, constantly, identifying all the small moves she made to see just what she enjoyed the most, or what she didn’t like. She didn’t need to talk, Eren seemed to have no problem deciphering the language of her body. Soon Mikasa could feel the tightening in her abdomen, coming slowly but surely, pulling all of her muscles together, and while he could see that happening a few times already, now that his face was between her thighs he had the perfect opportunity to observe the way her abs stood out beneath her skin. She was babbling something, words that were in between “yes”, “Eren” and “don’t stop”, her head clouding. So Eren did exactly what she wanted from him and kept going. This time her finish was heralded by a scream that she muffled by biting into her forearm, and her thighs pressed into the sides of his face, making him wonder if she’ll actually crush his skull in her wild abandonment. Just as he was about to say his final prayers Mikasa regained the control over her body and released him from his wet prison. Eren thanked her for her mercy by kissing his way back up until he reached her lips, planting a gentle loving peck on them. 

“You okay? “, he asked, smoothing the wild strands of hair that were covering about half of her face away from the world, “How did I do? “

“I’m…“, she swallowed, “I’m fine, that was….great. Thank you. “

He just grinned in the way that made her heart flutter. 

“Happy birthday. “

 

She didn’t understand this. Mikasa watched her boyfriend as he lay with his head in her lap, humming to himself, completely satisfied with the world. What was he planning?

 

“Oh damn, he went down on you already? “, Sasha laughed, shaking her head, when she told her the news about her love life yesterday, “You rock, girl. “

“Yea, it was pretty damn great. “, Mikasa picked at her food, biting her bottom lip, “I just…. Don’t know why he did it, that’s all. He got nothing out of it. “ She really couldn’t wrap her head around it. For her, it was all the pleasure she could ask for, but for him, it was only a drenched face and a massive hard-on they didn’t do anything about, because she was way too exhausted by his performance and he just seemed….content. He was weird, that’s what he was.

“He probably did it just so you will suck his dick in the future. “, Sasha picked out another piece of chocolate and put it in her mouth, “Guys are really into that. “

“I…what? “

“Suck his dick. “ Sasha looked up from her food, and when she saw the way Mikasa was stunned she pulled her eyebrows together, “What? Why are you so surprised? “

“No I mean…. I….“, so she was supposed to do …. That now? She pushed her plate away, the meal not looking exactly appetizing right now. Now that was something she was not looking forward to.

“It’s not that bad. “, Sasha reached out and patted her arm before picking up another piece of chocolate, “Just don’t forget to pull away if you don’t want to swallow. “ 

Right, that helped.

 

But Eren didn’t ask her to do anything. He didn’t even talk about it or indicated that he expected something in return for his services. The crowning moment came this morning, when out of nowhere he kissed her when they woke up, and before she realized what was happening he was back between her legs.

“I got classes soon but, “, pushing a finger beneath the elastic of her panties, he looked up with a grin, “I got time for breakfast before, you in? “

Her greedy body reacted before her mind could, and Mikasa’s hips raised on their own allowing him to pull the underwear down her legs and throw it away. And her brain, who was tackling the question what the hell was happening in a just woke up mode, was quickly silenced when he dipped down again, and his mouth went to work. 

And now, after school, here he was, once again not indicating even a tiny bit that she was indebted to him and he expected a payback. 

“What do you want? “, she blurted out, staring down at him.

“What do I want? “, he popped one eye open, “I want you to just sit there and look pretty for a few more minutes, “ he even had the audacity to grin, bastard, “your thighs are really comfortable. “

When she didn’t smile back but continued glaring at him like he just killed her cat, he sat up, confused. “Miki, what’s wrong? “, he asked.

“Don’t Miki me, pervert. “, she wanted to say something more, to lay it on him thick, but she had…nothing. What was she supposed to be mad on him about when he didn’t do anything? So she turned her back to him instead, folding her hands on his chest. Eren’s confusion was reaching levels never thought possible before. Pervert? There was only one perverted thing he did she could be mad about.

“Look… Did you want me to stop this morning? “, but she was just so damn loud, moaning her pleasure out, what did he do wrong? “I’m sorry, you looked like you enjoyed it…“

Oh she enjoyed it. She enjoyed it very much, because that smug scoundrel seemed to remember what she liked from the last time, and applied it rather skillfully, making his second time even better than the first. But that wasn’t the point. He only did it because he wanted his…thingy…sucked. Right?

“Hey…Babe…“, he finally gathered enough courage to put a hand on her shoulder, gently turning her until they were face to face again. “What did I do wrong? Talk to me, please. “

“Why did you do… what you did, this morning? “, she couldn’t look at him, so she watched her hands instead, “You didn’t….get anything for it. “

“I….Uhm… “ Wait what, THAT was the problem? “I did it because you liked it. And when you are happy, I am happy. “, he shook his head in disbelief, “I love you, I want you to feel good, what’s so hard to understand about it? “

When Mikasa looked up, she could see that he wasn’t lying. It was simple as that, really. Maybe…maybe Sasha was wrong after all. But seeing him like this, it made her question if it would really be so bad to do it for him. After all, she loved him too, no? Eren was still confused when she all but ripped his shirt off and pushed him back until he was lying down, kissing him vigorously, biting into his lips. She left him soon, however, and made her way down his throat, getting onto his chest. 

“You should start going to the gym with me. “, she whispered into his skin, leaving black lipstick marks in her wake as she continued down. Eren didn’t look half bad, but his muscles could definitely use some shaping, they were nowhere as defined as hers.

“You know, I might just do that, “, he said as he watched her plant kisses over his stomach, but still sinking lower and lower. He had no idea what made her act like this, but he didn’t mind it at all. 

When Mikasa looked up, and saw him looking at her, the fire in his eyes burning bright, she could feel her own cheeks coloring. 

“Don’t stare. “

“Sorry. “

He didn’t look away. So she punished him by dragging her fingernails down his chest, making him hiss as the red marks stood out in between the black lipstick prints. There it was, the top of his sweatpants. Mikasa took a deep breath and pulled them down his legs mentally preparing herself. She could see it now, straining against the fabric of his boxers, clearly enjoying her actions so far. Eren must have noticed her hesitation, because she could feel his hand on her hair as he tilted her head to look at him.

“Miki, you don’t have to do this. “, he said, smiling at her, “You don’t have to do anything. “

But this, this pushed her over the edge. For some reason, Eren was so willing to do all the things for her, and just ignore his own needs. If that wasn’t love, she didn’t know what was.

“I want to. “, she said, returning his smile. “I’m sure. “

With that, she removed the last barrier standing between her and his erection, which sprung free right away. Mikasa began with something she knew, wrapping her fingers around him and stroking him, slowly. Wanting to get a taste of what was about to come, she pushed her face closer and licked him, from the bottom to the top. All right, maybe it wasn’t the meal of a century, but it was nowhere as bad as she expected it to be. Curious how it would feel like, she opened her mouth and took him in. Eren swore above her, the hand in her hair tightening. But he didn’t try moving it for her, he knew better than that. If Mikasa wanted to make him feel good, she’s going to do it at her own pace, no way around it. Her hair was getting in the way, damn thing, so she paused for a moment and fished out a hair tie, making a quick ponytail before going back down. It was a bit like eating a lollypop, she decided, using her tongue to trace the shape of him inside her. Mushroom, that’s what it resembled a bit. Back when he went down on her, he moved slow, taking his time, so she followed his example. Slowly, carefully, she mapped him, moving up and down at lingering pace, trying out different things. She could swallow around him, which made him moan, or lightly drag her teeth over the head, producing the same result. Her experiments went on for some time, with Eren feeling like he was dead and in heaven already, until she thought of another thing to try. Wanting to see just how deep she could take him, she dipped her head down and continued, lower and lower, until the head hit the back of her throat. Mikasa gagged, pulling her mouth from him and coughing, covering her lips with one hand. Okay, maybe that was a little bit too deep. But the small setback did nothing to discourage her, and before Eren could babble something, most likely to apologize even though it was entirely her doing, she delved back in. 

He was close. The release was burning inside him, and while he did his best to hold it back, there was only so much he could do. “Miki… I’m going to…. I can’t….“, he pulled at her hair to emphasize his point, but she didn’t pull away. Instead he could feel that she swallowed around him, hollowing her cheeks, and pumped the rest with fervor. Overwhelmed, he came, and she took it all, not pulling away until he was completely done and oversensitive, begging her to stop. 

“So how did I do? “, she asked, not able to keep herself from laughing when she saw how wrecked he was. He actually had tears in the corners of his eyes, mixing with the sheen of sweat that coated his exposed skin. In the end, it was pretty okay, but seeing him like this, that made it completely and utterly worth. Eren didn’t seem to care much for talking, as he pulled her to him and kissed her on her swollen lips instead, relaying his response by a physical way of things. 

 

When they finally crossed the last line, it was on no special occasion, or planned or anything. It just sorts of… happened. They were together for six months back then, with the last three filled with an endless competition about who is better at giving oral. The movie was playing on the background again, but neither of them cared. Both their shirts and her bra were lying on the floor already, black over white, and the only time their mouths parted was when the need of air was just too great to ignore. But when Eren kissed the tops of her breast and tried moving lower, she stopped him.

“I… want to go all the way. Tonight. “, she said, her gaze expectant as she watched him take the information in. 

“Okay…“, was all he said for a time, as he sat back on his heels, “but I don’t have a condom. “

“Oh, right. “

“Yea…“

But Mikasa was determined, and when she was, there was nothing that could stop her. Standing up, she left the room and invaded Sasha’s privacy, going through her things until she found a box she was looking for, shamelessly stealing one of the packages and going back to her boyfriend. She held it up with a smile, but when she moved her hand to rip it open it was Eren who stopped her. 

“Look, let’s be honest. “, he looked a bit embarrassed, but kept talking, “I won’t last. This will be my first time and you…. You are simply too much. “

She shrugged. “So what? “

“So let me go down on you first. “, he winked at her, “I meant it when I said I want us both to enjoy it as much as we can. “

Defeated by his sound logic, she led him to the bedroom and lay down on the bed, finding a comfortable position as he put her legs on his shoulders. He made her feel good all right, so good that she was sure the whole dorm heard her. When she finished, and they got over the problem of actually putting the condom on, which took them about five minutes, because they couldn’t stop laughing for some reason, he kissed her and once again covered her body as they found themselves in the same position as six months prior. Same, but oh so different at the same time. For starters, they were both completely naked, and when she traced her hands down his body she could feel the subtle changes the three months of gym-going with her caused. Eren was certainly a bit more toned. There was no fear in her, no disgust. She didn’t even think about looking away, more than happy to sink her teeth into his bottom lip. And yes, there was some discomfort when he first entered her, but it quickly dissipated and ebbed away, replaced by the feeling of being full of him. She drew her pleasure on his back with her nails, bit it into his neck, marking him as hers. Eren was very happy that he took care of her needs first, both because the added wetness helped him slide inside her, but also because he could feel his finish approaching at an alarming rate, very sure that she was nowhere as close as he was. She was so tight and warm around him, it felt like nothing he ever experienced so far, and easily topped the charts. He couldn’t fight this, not this time, so he surrendered to the flow, thrusting at a steady rate until he spilled inside the rubber. 

When their breathing calmed, and he discarded the used condom into the thrash, they just lay in bed, bodies tangled together, not minding the sweat that cooled down on them.

“Eren, “, she found her voice, tracing the lovebites she left on him with the tip of her finger. “I’m so happy that we took it slow. “

“You are worth it, “ , he said, pressing his forehead to hers, looking deep into her eyes. “Thousand times over. “

And if this was not love, then neither of them knew what was.


	37. Dinner party

The gym was about halfway full at this hour. It was still too early for most of the people to be off work, Eren thought to himself as he scanned the interior, wiping the sweat from his brow. Underneath him, Mikasa was letting out small and measured puffs of breath as she worked the barbell up and down at a rhythmic tempo, the few strands of hair that escaped her ponytail plastered to her face. Eren turned his attention back to his girlfriend, who he was spotting, and leaned on the machine next to the bench-press she was using. Luckily for him, his shift at the hospital was done already, because he started super early, which gave him time to join Mikasa for a workout before the main event of today. He checked the clock on the wall and nodded to himself. They still had plenty of time. At the same moment, Mikasa’s lips pressed together tightly and she gritted her teeth, arms shaking. 

“Eren… Need a hand. “

Quickly as he could, he took hold of the metal pole connecting the weights. 

“I’ve got you. “, he said, and she let go, watching him growl as he managed to wrestle the barbell back into the resting space. Truthfully speaking, she didn’t need his help, but she did ask for it anyway, because it gave her a prime view of his flexing biceps as he pulled the weight upward. It was a rather nice sight. 

“You wanna switch? “, she asked sitting up and wiped her face with the towel he handed her. 

Eren shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. We should hit the showers and…“, suddenly his eyes flew over her and above her shoulder, and he frowned towards the entrance. “Is that…?“

Mikasa followed his gaze to see the one person she did not expect today. Annie was standing there, stretching, and when she felt Mikasa’s eyes on her she gave her a friendly wave. What the hell was happening?

“Hey Mikasa, Eren. “, Annie greeted them as she came closer, “Long time no see. “

They both looked at each other and back at her, kind of missing the words to say. 

“You wanna fight? “, she asked into the silence, nodding towards the ring. 

That was a tempting offer. Mikasa knew that she was rather exhausted, after all, they just completed their work out routine with Eren, but she also really wanted to go against Annie again. Levi was too busy with management lately and sparing with Eren was a little bit lackluster. Sure, he was physically strong, but he didn’t have the technique and agility of a professional. 

“Yeah, okay, let’s roll. “, she said, standing up from the bench. 

“I’ll take a shower. “, Eren pressed a kiss to her cheek, not minding the sweat, “Don’t overdo it. “

She nodded, absent minded. There was something about Annie, something just didn’t quite sit well with her behavior. She was unnaturally friendly, all smiles, but they didn’t seem genuine. 

“So how are you doing nowadays? All good? “, she asked as she climbed into the ring, where Annie was already doing quick jabs into the air to warm up.

“Yep. I don’t know if Armin told you, but we broke up, it’s for the best. Really. “

Mikasa wanted to ask a multitude of other questions, but her opponent put up her hands to a fighting stance, indicating that she was ready. So instead of talking, she followed her example, and they began. 

This was hard, Mikasa winced, taking a few steps back, but Annie gave her no breathing room and pressed on. They exchanged a multiple of punches, trying to find a weakness in each other’s defense, and so far, Annie had the upper hand. Mikasa was tired, the workout exhausted her more than she expected, and her blonde rival wasn’t taking it easy. Hit after hit, she worked herself closer and closer, and Mikasa realized one thing. She wasn’t winning this one. Annie’s eyes were determined, but underneath that she could feel another emotion seeping out, one she had no idea what to do about. Hate. Mikasa dropped her hands, opening her mouth to call for a pause, but Annie didn’t stop. The punch landed on her cheek with a crack, and as she fell on the floor the pain shot out and spread through her whole body. There was a taste of blood, indicating that she had a split lip, and a ringing in her ears. Worst of all, Annie took another step forward, looking full intent in kicking her fallen opponent. Preparing her body for the blow, she curled to protect her stomach, but it never came.

“What the fuck is going on here!? “, shouted a new voice, one she knew so well, and soon Eren jumped over the ropes and between them, glaring at Annie. The blonde took a measuring look at him, as if she was about to body him next, but in the end remembered herself and dropped her fists.

“I’m sorry, I just expected the “champ” to be better. “, she said in a mocking voice, her lips curling upwards in a cruel smile, “Head too full of the modeling already? Maybe you should drop fighting altogether and just prance around in your underwear for money, wouldn’t that be easier? “ The malice that was in her words stole any sort of response from their lips. “Next time don’t step in the ring with me if you aren’t serious. Or I’ll have to rearrange your face a little bit. “, she jerked her head towards Eren, “Your puppy might not like that. “

With that, she jumped out of the ring and disappeared deeper into the gym. Eren was stunned. What was her problem? But right now, he had no time to go over it. 

“Hey, you okay? “, he turned back towards Mikasa as she was sitting up. She nodded. “Let me see, “, with a gentle hand, he took hold of her chin and took a closer look on the wound, nodding. “It’s just a small cut, should heal quickly. Let me help you stand. “

“I don’t need your help. “, she shot back, the poison from Annie’s words working in her.

But he was relentless. “I know you don’t, but I’m asking you anyway. Please, let me help you. “

With a sigh, she gave in, letting him pull her to her feet. The motion made her wince as a pang of pain shot up through her whole body, the beating she received quite thorough. 

“I…should take a shower. “

Eren shook his head. “We can take care of that at home, c’mon. “

The car ride was silent, with Mikasa gazing out of the window and grimacing every time the car jumped a bit, reminding her of her bruises. When they got home, she finally shed her gym clothes, submerging into the tub. As the warm water enveloped her, she couldn’t hold back a contended sigh. This felt good. Eren entered soon after, carrying the first aid kit, and started disinfecting the cut on her lip. Maybe it was a little bit overboard, but he was always careful. After finishing, he let her lie back in the tub and started washing her, fingers slowly moving over her body. Seeing the bruises slowly color, he couldn’t hold back a frown. Mikasa could take care of herself, of course, but she knew that he liked when she trusted and relied on him, so closing her eyes, Eren was left to his own devices. When he deemed her clean enough, Eren pulled her out of the water and carried her to the living room, lying Mikasa down on the couch.

“What are you…“, the words dissolved into a moan, because he picked right that moment to press his fingers into the muscles of her back. Eren just chuckled when he saw how easily she melted into his hands, secretly thanking his past-self who took massage classes in college. To his friends, he always said that it was only for the extra credits, but secretly the reason was the girl dissolving under his fingers right now. Even back then she never went easy on herself during the training, and more than once had a pulled or sore muscle and he wished he knew of a way to help. So he found one. 

“Can I just…take a nap…“, she whispered, feeling completely at peace with the world when he started working on her feet. 

“I’d love to let you rest, but we are meeting my mom later. “, when Eren saw the way her eyes shot open, he couldn’t hold back a chuckle, “You forgot didn’t you. “

“Maybe….“

“It’s fine, we got plenty of time. “, he leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek. “By the way, “, Eren asked while moving his fingers up to her calf and easing the knots out there, “How did Levi react when you told him that he’s coming too. “

“You know the guy. “, Mikasa smirked, “He was overjoyed. “

 

“This is stupid. “, Levi growled, doing his best to keep still, “I don’t wanna go. “

“Oh stop acting like a child, “ Hange chided him, working on fixing his tie, “You do realize that your sister is dating the son of this lady for five years already, don’t you? It’s kind of a past time you finally met. “

Her reasoning didn’t improve his mood. It’s not that he had something against the woman, but he just hated meeting new people overall. They asked way too many questions and didn’t respect his personal space. “Why don’t you come with me? “, he asked, knowing that if she comes he will be spared of the need to talk. Hange never did shut up. 

“Ooh, I’d love to, but I already have plans this evening. “

“You. “, he arched an eyebrow at her, “Have plans. You. “

“Yep. “

Hmmm. Well all right. If she had plans, she had plans, nothing he can do about it. Tough luck. But seeing her smile reminded him of something. 

“Now that I think about it, you did remove the bug from Eren’s house, right? “

“Eeh, of course? “

“Hange…“

“Okay, okay. “, she threw her hands up in surrender, “I didn’t get around to do it. Yet. But I’ll take care of it I promise. “ Levi was just opening his mouth to ask what the fuck is that supposed to mean, but she was faster. “I know, I know, I fucked up, but I swear ill take it out as soon as I can. You go have fun, and don’t worry about that, okay? “

“Wh…“

She silenced him with a quick kiss, and before he realized what was happening she was out of the door and gone. Damn the woman. Annoyed, Levi turned back to the mirror, seeing that his tie didn’t look half bad. He took a deep breath. Right then, time to be an adult.

 

Mikasa could feel her heart fluttering when they pulled into the driveway. This is the second time she gets to meet Eren’s mom, her work keeping her all over the world. From what she remembered, she was a sweet lady, if a bit stiff, but Mikasa liked her. To calm herself, she smoothed her skirt. Eren told her that the occasion wasn’t formal, so she didn’t take a dress, but still at least put on some makeup and tried dressing a tiny bit more nicely than her normal attire. 

“Stop fidgeting, you look beautiful. “, he took her hand into his and pressed a kiss on her knuckles, right on the engagement ring. She rewarded him with a smile, his presence calming her. Thought she still squeezed his palm when he rang the bell, announcing their arrival. The door flew open ,revealing a middle-aged brown-haired woman with a wide smile, who wasted no time and swept them both in a hug.

“Eren! Mikasa! It’s so good to see you again. “

“Mom. “

“Carla. “

She finally did let go of them, the wetness in her eyes relaying just how emotional the moment was for her. 

“Eren, you look so handsome. And Mikasa. “, she took a step back, looking her up and down, “You look gorgeous my girl. Are you really sure you want to waste your life with my son? “

“Thanks mom. “, Eren shook his head, but he was grinning. “Always so supportive. “

“Yes, he makes me…“, she looked over to her boyfriend, taking his hand in hers, “the happiest I ever was. “

“All right, okay, I know when I’m beaten. “, Carla took a step back, “Don’t just stand there, come inside. “

Soon after, Mikasa was sitting with a beer in front of her while Eren and Carla put the finishing touches on the meal. It was magical, watching the work. The coordination they had, it didn’t go away even after the years of separation. The doorbell rang. Mikasa was the first to stand and crossed the distance to the door, opening them to reveal a very grumpy looking Levi.

“Hey brat. “¸ he looked at her, eyes inspecting, “You sure dressed up today, didn’t you. “

“You are the one to talk. “, she shook her head, “You are wearing a suit. Do you realize that you will be sticking out like a sore thumb? “

“Gotta make first impressions. “, he shot back. Mikasa rolled her eyes but let him pass, and he followed her to the table. 

“You must be Levi Ackerman, Mikasa’s brother. “¸Carla came at him, cleaning her hands on the apron around her waist.

“Yes, of course. But I don’t remember Eren telling me that he has an older sister. “

Carla giggled, while Mikasa groaned and hid her face behind her palms. Eren on the other hand had a hard time keeping the laughter in. “Oh, you flatterer. “, she took his extended arm, shaking his hand. “I’m glad we finally got to meet. “

“The pleasure is all mine. “

Where did her brother get so smooth, that was a mystery to Mikasa.

The food was great, and the conversation flowed, helped by the unending stream of beer and wine. Both Mikasa and Eren were staying the night, and Levi was taking a taxi, so none of the guests had to drive. To his own surprise, the usually very antisocial man was having a great time, mainly because Carla was really something, and when he glanced at Mikasa, she just looked so…happy. It warmed him inside. When Levi checked outside, and saw the way the sky darkened, he just wondered how Hange is doing. 

 

“So, your brother, does he have someone? “

Mikasa almost choked on her beer when Carla asked the question. Eren was taking a leak and Levi had to answer a phone call, so right now it was just the two of them at the table. 

“I…I… W-Why do you ask? “

Carla had a predatory smile. “No reason. “

“Well….yes, he has a girlfriend. Kind of. “

“Oh damn. “, Carla sighed, “What a shame. “

“You wouldn’t try anything at him, would you? “

“Hahaha, of course not, I am just kidding. “, she stood up, taking her empty wine glass with her, “Or am I? “, and she disappeared into the kitchen.

Mikasa had to press a hand to her mouth to stop laughing when Levi came back, the situation was just way too funny. Her brother just frowned at her. “What’s so funny? “ But she just shook her head. He narrowed his eyes. If that’s how she wanted to play it…

“Hey, do you want to hear a story from the brat’s past? “

The eyes of everyone in the room was on him in an instant. Levi took a casual sip of his wine, winking at Mikasa who had an expression of horror on her face.

“One day, I come home to find a pentagram on the floor, with my little sister kneeling the middle, chanting some incantation I couldn’t decipher. I mean, I knew that she was a tad bit weird, but this? Would you believe that? “

The explosion of laughter was huge, with Mikasa’s face coloring into the brightest shade of red. Eren took notice, wrapping a hand around her shoulders and pulling her close. 

“Th….That’s not so ba…bad... “, he couldn’t talk properly because he was still laughing so hard, but he really wanted to make her feel better. “When I was younger I used to play with my mom that she was stuck under debris, and I had to save her. What did you used to call me? “, he directed the last question on his mother, who had a huge grin on her face.

“My little titan. “, she reached out and ruffled Eren’s hair, “And you always protected me, my hero. “

“Yep, that’s the one. “, seeing that he made her smile, he kissed her cheek, “See, we all have something embarrassing in our past. “

Next to them, Levi shook his head. So even when he tries to embarrass his sister, he jumps to her rescue right away. Damn brat, it seems like he really loves her. 

“I’m curious about one thing though. “ Eren said, smoothing her hair behind her ear. “What was the ritual about? “

“I…I… don’t remember. “, she blurted out. Of course she knew. Back then, she was at the height of curiosity about boys and why the other girls were so fascinated by them. So she borrowed one of the spell books from her group of goth friends and tried an incantation that was supposed to bring her the ideal boyfriend. Well, she thought to herself while watching Eren, it did seem to work out in the end. The devil might be working slowly, but if he brought her someone like this guy, she wasn’t about to complain. 

 

“This is your room? “, Mikasa asked when they entered the room, looking around. It wasn’t looking as anything special, no posters on the wall or something that indicated that a young boy lived here. “It’s…plain. “

He shrugged. “I used to be really plain. And then you came into my life. “

Maybe it was the beer, but she found herself oddly pleased by the compliment. Coming closer, she wrapped her hands around his neck and pressed her lips into his. To her surprise, Eren was the one to end the kiss as he pulled away, a nervous smile on his face.

“Miki… I don’t think I can do it here. It’s like, “, he gestured around, “my past self would be watching. “

She rolled her eyes at that. Eren could be so dramatic sometimes. 

“All right let’s just go to sleep then. “

But when they undressed and huddled together on the small bed, she could still feel the familiar heat in the pit of her stomach. Mikasa was always a horny drunk, and it certainly didn’t help that Eren’s body was pressed into her from behind, a hand around her waist. Experimenting, she moved her hips a bit, rubbing her ass on his front.

“I know what you are doing. “

“I have no idea what you are talking about. “, with that Mikasa grinded her rear on him, hard, and he couldn’t back the groan that ripped from his throat.

Ghost of the past be damned, Eren thought as he bit into her neck, hand slipping down beneath the hem of her panties. Mikasa moaned into his ear, her arm circling his neck from behind as her body moved closer to his touch. Oh she was ready, he thought to himself when he felt her wetness on the tips of his fingers. With a tug, Eren pulled the underwear down her legs, freeing his own hardness afterwards. Kissing her, he slipped his hand between her legs and lifted one up, just enough for him to slide in from behind, as the moan she made was muffled by him. Eren wasted no time, and started moving as soon as he could, the quiet rustling the only sound filling the room. Feeling his finish grow closer with every thrust, he slipped a hand around her hip to touch her, and with the years of experience easily finding that one spot that made her knees weak. She came, quietly, and he followed her soon after, spilling inside her with a muffled groan. 

“So…What did you…. What did your past think? “, Mikasa panted out, the orgasm still having an effect on her body. 

“I think that if he was here right now, he would give me a serious high five. I just banged the hottest girl in the world on the bed I used to masturbate in. “

Mikasa slapped him on the chest, but she was chuckling. 

“Do you know if your mom’s staying? I kind of like talking with her. “

“Yea, apparently she’s here for at least a few months. “, Eren buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply. “I missed her, you know. “

“She’s great. But did you know that she might have a crush on my brother? “

“Wait what? Mikasa? Mikasa! “


	38. Daddy issues

“Don’t you think that our friends will start seeing us as a kind of a support group if we keep this up?”

“What do you mean? “, Connie spared a quick look at his girlfriend before turning his attention back to the traffic, guiding their car through it. 

“Well, “¸Sasha fingered the edge of the cake container in her lap, where her sweet creation was hiding, “we are legit spending the last few months doing emotional support for Eren and Mikasa, and as soon as they are back together this thing with Armin happens. Don’t you think its weird? “

Connie was silent for a time, focusing on the driving, turning the question inside his head. “I’m not sure. But life just… works in mysterious ways sometimes, and we have to be there for our friends, wouldn’t you say? “

“Damn, I didn’t know you were such a sweet guy. “, when he blushed, she couldn’t hold back a giggle, “Oh, stop it, I’m just teasing. I know that you are the sweetest thing on the earth. “, Sasha drummed her fingers on the top of the plastic, “Except this puppy that is. “

He smiled at her when they were stopped at a red light. “Then let’s hope that it will cheer Armin up. “

The rest of the road was silent, with just the radio music in their ears. But as they neared the residence of the spurned lover, Sasha’s eyes picked a familiar figure standing awkwardly on the sidewalk, reading something from a tiny notebook.

“Hey, slow down, that’s Hange! “, quickly as she could, the girl rolled down her window and stuck as much of herself as she could out of the car, greatly upsetting her boyfriend. She never did care about her safety. “HANGE! Hange! Yea here! It’s me, Sasha! “

The scientist finally took notice of them, stashing her notebook away and walking to their car while Connie expertly maneuvered it into a parking space. “What are you doing here? Did Eren also call you? Or Mikasa? Are you here because of Armin? “ Sasha excitedly jabbered on while her somber boyfriend retrieved the wheelchair from the trunk and helped her get into it. 

“Yea I…. heard something, so I decided to come and have a look myself. “, Hange never blushed, she found the whole concept of it stupid, but she supposed that now would be the time for that. In truth, she got her information about the blond’s troubles from the bug in Eren and Mikasa’s house, but she would rather die than say it out loud. She still had to find a way to remove it without drawing any attention, Levi seemed that he won’t forget about it this time. 

“Oh that’s amazing! The more the merrier, right Con? “, he grimaced when he heard the nickname. Sasha had a myriad of names for him, baldie, coconut, and many more, but even though he wouldn’t like it from other people, from her he just let it pass. After all, what’s wrong on having pet names with your significant other? The force of nature that she was Sasha was already leaving him in the dust, wheeling ahead with Hange in tow, not even waiting for his answer. Shaking his closely shaved head, Connie followed.

Armin didn’t open the door on first knock, not even the second or third one, but Sasha wasn’t a woman to be discouraged by that. “Hey Ar! I know you are there, and if you wont open up ill have my big strong boyfriend break down the door for us! I’m serious! “. The big and strong man in question looked the wooden structure up and down, scratching his nape. Breaking down doors, that was a job better suited for a machine like Mikasa, not him. But either Armin didn’t know that, or just knew that Sasha won’t leave him alone unless he gives in to her demands, so the door creaked open, and half a face peeked out.

“Wh…“

Sasha wasted no time, and pushed herself right into the opening, knocking the surprised owner back and paving a way for the rest of her boarding party. Hange followed without hesitation, once again scribbling in her notebook and Connie, seeing no other option, went in too, questioning if they weren’t technically breaking and entering. Once inside, they could finally get a good look on their friend, and what they saw unsettled them. Armin looked worn, disheveled, with circles beneath his eyes. The interior of his house also looked in a stage of disrepair, things lying everywhere, especially where they weren’t supposed to be. 

“I wasn’t really… expecting visitors. “, said Armin in a voice that suggested that he would very much prefer if they left as fast as they came in, but knowing Sasha, that wasn’t an option. 

“No worries, I brought my own seat. “ she said, patting the side of the wheelchair. When no one laughed, she sighed. “C’mon, stop standing around like a bunch of corpses! I brought a cake! “, she thrusted the container at him like a peace offering and seeing really no way out, he took it, and went to the kitchen to cut it into edible pieces. Hange almost immediately sat down, her eyes studying the mess around her while her pen worked at a tempo that made it almost blurry, notes filling the pages in her tiny book. But as Connie made the move to follow her example, Sasha nudged him with her elbow and when he looked at her she jerked her chin in the direction where Armin disappeared, making her request quite clear. Connie nodded, and she rewarded him with a smile, before looking back at Hange and continuing in whatever conversation they were having. Having his mission given, he followed Armin. 

He found him standing next to a counter, knife in hand, cutting into Sasha’s delicacy with practiced movements. There was a huge number of takeout wraps lying all around, clearly showing that the blond didn’t cook much in the last weeks. “Hey man, how have you been holding up? “, Connie picked a place that looked reasonably clear and leaned on it, trying to appear as casual as possible.

“Me? I’m fine, really. “, said that man that looked anything but fine. “Just had to make some changes, that’s all. “

“Right… So have you talked to Annie? At all? “

“Nope. “, he shook his head, “She totally cut any contact with me. I mean… I guess its for the best. I made my peace. “ Connie was tempted to ask why his knuckles went white around the knife handle while he said those words but kept silent. It wouldn’t be very tact. “Anyway, what are you guys doing here? Eren called you? “, there was a certain bitterness in those words, one that Connie somewhat understood. Armin didn’t tell them about his problems, it was Eren who called and asked them to go and check up on his blond friend. Theoretically, he and Mikasa could do it themselves, but they weren’t the type of friends to barge into your house uninvited. When you needed someone like that, you called Sasha, she made you feel better whenever you wanted it or not. 

“Yea, he did. Don’t hold it against him, please, he is really worried about you. “

“Right. “, Armin picked up the plates with the pieces of cake, “Can you grab some drinks from the fridge? I’ve got my hands full. “ Seeing Connie nod, he headed back towards the mess he called living room. There was an unopened bottle of a hard alcohol in the cooling space, but this wasn’t the time for that, so he grabbed some of the soft drinks instead, following the silently fuming man. Sasha seemed totally in her element, patting Armin’s arm supportively, while he munched on the cake. Hange watched them, her own portion untouched, pen scribbling away. Taking his place on the other side of the wheelchair, Connie handed out the drinks and picked up his own plate, joining in on the discussion. If it would be anyone else they were with but Sasha, it would be damn awkward. But with her, it just seemed to ebb away, and Armin was smiling before he realized it, feeling better than he did in weeks. 

“All right then, “, she said when they finished the cake, extending her hands dramatically, “time to tell you the real reason why we came. Connie! Music! “, with a sigh, her boyfriend pulled out his phone and started playing the epic mix she chose for the occasion, filling the little room. Sasha waited until the melody reached her desired place before speaking, syncing her words with it. “Since I’ve been shot, the restaurant I used to work in was more than forthcoming, but it was clear that they had no place for me anymore. They gave me a very serious severance package however, and when me and baldie talked about how to spend it, I got an amazing idea. It is time! Time for me to fulfill my childhood dream! We. Are. Opening. A bar! “  
The music reached its climax and so did her speech, Sasha ending up with her hands raised above her head. Armin scratched the back of his head. “Cool. But what’s that to do with me? “

“Pfff, isn’t that obvious? You are a part of it! “

“But…I have a job. “

“Right, a damn part-time in a coffee shop. “, she wiggled her finger at him, “and don’t try saying that the work is like fulfilling you or anything, I know it doesn’t. Come on. “, she pleaded, “ It will be fun! Amazing! Just the three of us, working to create a place to get drunk and pass out in the bathroom while not being afraid of someone robbing you. Pleaseeeeeee. “

“I…uhm… I guess? “, Armin still wasn’t completely in on the idea, but Sasha was right. In the end, what did he have to lose, apart from his house and savings and everything else. That didn’t matter. This activity, this could fill the void that Annie left in his heart, in his soul. Seeing Sasha’s enthusiasm, he couldn’t hold back his own smile. “ Okay. I’m in. “

“Amazing! “, she hugged him as closely as she could, considering her handicap, “We already have a location and the renovations are starting next week. We even started thinking about a name, right Con? “, back in her dramatic setting, she took a deep breath, “The Third Wheel. “

“Ehm. What? “

“See? It’s perfect, cause it’s the three of us, and“, she slapped her wheelchair, “this bad boy has four wheels, so the number three is also funnily referencing that. Get it? “ Seeing that he was still far from sold on the idea, she shrugged. “The name is still subject to change. “

The laughter exploded from Armin, the absurdity of this whole situation setting in. When he woke up this morning, hoping that he could just go back to sleep, he didn’t see his day going like this, far from it. But Sasha…Sasha was just something else. On the other side of the table, Hange ran out of paper and swiftly pulled out her second notebook to start filling it with her notes. This visit was proving more and more valuable every second. 

 

Mikasa wasn’t surprised when she heard the bathroom door open behind her, the sound soon followed by the shower opening and closing, a newcomer announcing his presence by running his fingers up and down her body. 

“Came to wash my back? “

“Of course, what would you do without me? “, asked the voice she would recognize anywhere.

“So I get beaten up one day and the next you don’t even trust me to take care of myself. “, she sighed, but didn’t look at him. 

Eren replied by pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “This is what I love about you, you know. Anytime anyone offers you help, you keep lashing back, saying that you are strong enough to take care of yourself. “, his lips slowly traveled over to her neck, “I know that you can do stuff yourself, of course, you can wash yourself, you can get up yourself, you can stitch your own wounds. “, he ended his journey by dragging his mouth over her scar, kissing the raised tissue, “But I like doing it, so what’s so wrong with letting me? “

“Well, if you put it like that, “, satisfied with his explanation and admittedly a bit turned on Mikasa said, dropping her hands, “you can wash my front too. “

The lips on her cheek curled upwards in a smile.

“With pleasure. “

It didn’t take him long for her to be melting into his hands, as he gently glided over her skin, not leaving out any piece of her. It was a bit cramped, as the shower was smaller than the one they had at home, but neither of them minded. In their history, they made do even with a smaller thing back at the dorm, although having sex in those tiny cubes was a stunt they had to master over the course of their studying years. When Eren kneeled down, she almost gasped because she thought that he will finally get to it, but all he did was wink up at her before starting to wash one of her feet. Tease. Mikasa had just about enough of it. But when Eren straightened and she tried going for a kiss he used the height difference between them to deny her, edging away. 

“Miki, there was only one place where I touched myself more often than my bed, and its this shower. We are literally standing on a burial ground of millions of my children. Do you really want to take part in a genocide? “

But she was far beyond his jokes.

“Oh no you don’t. “¸she hissed, and grabbed him by the hair, pulling his face towards hers. Even when their lips finally met, she could hear the laughter bubbling inside him and had to roll her eyes. When Eren pushed her up against the wall and finally got on with it, her last coherent thought was if Sasha managed to break through Armin’s shell.

 

As Annie came down in the morning, her father was sitting in the same position he was when she went to sleep, which made her question if he even slept at all. But when he saw her, the tired eyes lit up, and he somehow managed to look ten years younger.

“Hey Annie, I made you breakfast. Did you sleep well? “

She walked over to the stove, grabbing the eggs and coming to sit on the table next to him. 

“Yes. And thank you. “

He kept watching her, seeing the way she stabbed into her food, refusing to meet his gaze. “Annie? What’s wrong? “

“I just... “, she sighed, “I don’t like what I did to Mikasa. She was tired, I shouldn’t have gone at her at full strength. “ the fork clicked against the plate and she gritted her teeth, “We were supposed to have a friendly spar goddamn it, not a deathmatch. “

“Annie, Annie, calm down. “, he reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. “You keep seeing her as your friend, you have to realize that she’s not one. She’s your rival, you have to become stronger, faster, better than she is, overcome her, not become her ally. “, he reached out and tapped his finger against the magazine on the table, the one that had the interview with Mikasa in it, “Your goal is to be here, on your own, in the spotlight, not in her shadow. “

“I know dad. “, she took a deep breath. Somehow, his words did nothing to soothe her. “I’ll do my best, I swear. “

“I know you will. “, he smiled at her, “If….if your mom was here, she would be so proud of you Annie. We both love you. “

She forced herself to smile back, secretly wishing he would stop talking about her.

“I love you too dad. “

I love you too….


	39. Catgirl training 101

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Around 7k words of basically pure petplay smut, which totally fit into the story....yea....  
> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Enjoy

It all started a long time ago, back when they were celebrating their first Halloween together. Their relationship has already evolved into the stage where they have done all their firsts with each other, which meant sleepless nights for Armin as his slumber was frequently interrupted by the creaking bed in the other dorm room. Still a bit awkward, they slowly but surely worked towards their goal of being comfortable with anything, as long as both of them enjoyed it. 

“I’m sorry about this, I really am, “ , said Eren, putting finishing touches on his costume in front of a mirror. “But me and Armin had this planned for a long time, and I don’t want to let him down. “ Satisfied with his visage, he walked over to Mikasa who was sitting on the edge of the tub with her legs crossed and bent over to kiss her. “Next time, we are doing some crazy couple costume, I swear. “

The goth just shook her head, not upset at all. If Eren and Armin had matching costumes from a video game she never played, she was more than happy to let them do their thing. She didn’t even know who her boyfriend was imitating, in his pure white suit with a deep red shirt peeking from beneath the jacket. But the fact that both him and Armin were going raised a new problem for her, because she wasn’t planning on attending the Halloween party in the first place, she had no costume. A quick trip to the shop fixed her issue, though she still had to put it on, and because Eren asked that she doesn’t spoil the surprise for him, nobody but her knew what it was. Suddenly, the bathroom door flew open, making them both jump.

“Kiryu-chaaaaaan! “, cried Armin, dressed in a golden snakeskin jacket, leather pants and a steel tipped shoes, holding a dangerously looking dagger. An eyepatch was covering one of his eyes, and he had black-dyed hair and a fake beard. 

“Majima-san. “, Eren replied, going over to his friend and inspecting his costume from up close, nodding to himself. Seems like he got all the details right. “Damn dude, pretty good work, I’m impressed. Although, “, he stopped in front of Armin, jabbing him in the stomach with a finger. “you are missing something. “

“What’s that? “, the blond had legit no idea what Eren was talking about, he was pretty sure he nailed everything.

“The abs. “

“Abs? “

“Yea man! Goro has a killer pack on him, and you have…. Nothing. “, he shook his head, “I should have made Mikasa go as Majima, she has an amazing set. “

The girl blushed a bit hearing the praise, but Armin just shrugged. “Look, if you want her to go as Goro, that’s fine by me, we just have to switch costumes I guess. “

As much as Mikasa liked the idea, she wasn’t bold enough to strut around the campus with her stomach exposed, so she declined the offer politely. “I already have one, thanks for the offer though, I appreciate it. “ She stood up from the tub, squeezing past Kiryu and the muscleless Majima, “I have it stashed back in my room, you coming? “ They did.

Armin and Eren waited for her outside, sprouting lines from the games at each other, laughing like idiots, with the Asian girl giggling when she heard how bad their Japanese was. Seeing them like this made Mikasa happy that she didn’t take the offer to take the blond’s outfit, he was way more suited for it, abs or no abs. After all, they could have as many Halloweens as they wanted together with Eren, just not this one. When she reached her room, she could see that Sasha was already gone, most likely at the party, so she was free to take all the bathroom space for herself to change into her costume. It was nothing special, really. All she bought was a pair of fluffy cat ears and a tail she could attach to her leggings. This combined with a tight black top, one of her chokers in place of a collar, and a bit of makeup that created the image of a whiskers around her nose, and she was good to go. Budget black cat, ready to roll. She rejoined the two dorks out front, walking right in the middle of a reenactment of a fight , which stopped as soon as they saw her. 

“Look Kiryu, a stray cat. “, Armin nudged his friend with his elbow, smiling, “What are we going to do about it. “

There was a lot of jokes Eren could follow that line with. Anything alongside giving her some milk, cream, or whatever topped his mind would do, but he didn’t say anything. He just stared, long enough for Armin to look at him, concerned. “Hey dude, you okay? “

“I….“, he cleared his throat, looking away from his girlfriend, “Yea, I’m fine. Let’s go, shall we? “

But he didn’t stop acting weird, even at the party. For a reason she couldn’t decipher, Eren avoided her, and was silent most of the evening, usually directing his gaze into his cup. Mikasa tried pulling him out of his shell, but he wouldn’t respond to anything, even jerking away from her when she tried dancing with him. She would not let that one slide, that’s for sure. So when Armin got drunk enough to tear off his snakeskin jacket and started breakdancing, very badly, to a great amusement of everyone, she cornered Eren. 

“What the fuck is your problem? “, she pushed at him, caging him with her arms. 

“What? Nothing, I’m fine. “, he still wouldn’t look at her, “Go, enjoy the party, drink or something. I’m having a blast, really. “

He wouldn’t crack, not here, and she had no intention of making a scene in front of everyone. So she set a bait. “How about we go back to the dorm, “, she faked a yawn, “I’m kinda tired anyway. “

“You….wouldn’t mind? “

“Eh, you know me, I’ll be happier if we just snuggle on a couch and watch a movie or something. “

“Right then, “he nodded, the relief on his face clearly visible, “Let’s go. “

He held her hand on the way back, but his eyes wandered. Mikasa tried squeezing his palm, to show that everything is okay, but all he did was spare her a quick smile. Finally back in his room, he tried letting go of her, murmuring something about taking the stupid costume off, but she didn’t let him. With a decisive tug, she brought them face to face, scowling.

“Now talk, or I beat it out of you. Why the fuck are you acting like a dick the whole evening? “

“It’s nothing, really…“ he squirmed against her hold, but she was way stronger, “Just let me go and I’ll put some movie on. “

She wouldn’t give up that easily.

“Eren, please, we promised to talk about things. So talk, please. Tell me. “

“I…“, he risked a quick look at her face before diverting his gaze back on the ground, “I can’t. You’ll think I’m weird or perverted or something. It’s embarrassing.“

“I already know you are a perv, “ , she put her palm on his cheek, gently pushing to make him look at her, “but you are my perv, and I don’t mind. Tell me, please. “

Defeated, Eren took a deep breath and caved under the pressure. His hand slowly went up, and she thought for a moment that he is going to touch her hair, but his fingers never made contact with the black silk. Instead, she could feel his fingers slowly and gently glide over the cat ears, and he stared at them, completely taken. 

“These fucking things… I have no idea why, but they make me wanna fuck you, really bad. “ he dropped his hand, an embarrassed smile appearing on his face. Mikasa was silent, slowly taking the information in. So he was turned on by the cat ears, was that it? Eren shook his head and tried pushing her away, gently, thinking that the conversation was done. But he was just so wrong. 

“Why don’t you then? “, she asked, pressing her body against him, making his eyes widen. “Meow? “, she tried, and by the looks of it, it was the right thing to say.

Eren kissed her, with a fierceness that surprised her, switching their position so she was the one with her back to the wall. His hands roamed all around her body, even tugging gently on the tail as if he wanted to make sure that it was still there. “Let’s take this somewhere else, “, he whispered , and she couldn’t nod fast enough. 

Mikasa didn’t remember much from the following night, except that she was totally and utterly exhausted at the end of it, with Eren somehow managing to be even more passionate than he usually was. And through it all, the ears managed to stay on her head. A miracle.

 

The cat ears became a welcome addition to their bedroom, and from time to time they would pull them out again to spice things up. As their relationship progressed and they grew comfortable in sharing their darker kinks with each other, so did the plays change. Mikasa acquired a real collar, to replace the chokers, even a set of cat themed underwear with a tail on the panties, amongst other things. Several times she filled the role of the submissive catgirl, serving her master in any way he saw fit. Mikasa loved roleplaying, the ability to let go of yourself and pretend to be someone else, something else, was so freeing, there really was nothing like it. If there was a psychiatrist studying her case, he would probably point out that this particular interest was brought into existence by her tragic childhood and the fact that she never really got to experience playing with her friends. Well, now she had a playmate, and while their games were a whole lot more R rated, they were also much more enjoyable. To say that she was excited when Eren came down in the evening ,when they came back home after visiting his mother, with the ears in his hand, that would be an understatement. 

“Hey Miki, “, he held up the prompt, “Wanna play? “

In their relationship, it was easy like this. There was a suggestion, and the other party either accepted or declined, depending on how things were. Sometimes one of them was too tired, or had to work early tomorrow morning, or just simply didn’t feel like doing it right now. And that was completely fine and understandable, it had to go both ways. But tonight, Mikasa was more than ready, so she snatched the item from his fingers and put it on top of her head, returning his smile. Seeing her enthusiasm, he bent down to kiss her, gently adjusting the ears on her head until they fit perfectly.

“Go up and get undressed. “, he whispered into her human ear, not the cat one, because as cute as they looked, those didn’t work.

“No underwear? “, she asked, because usually he wanted her to put the cat lingerie on, but Eren shook his head.

“I got something special for you tonight, you want to give it a try? I have to warn you thought, it could be….“, a single finger trailed down her face into the hollow of her throat, “intense. “

“I can handle it. “, she grabbed the traveling hand and bit into the finger, lightly, before letting go, “Don’t hold back. “

“All right then. “, he straightened, “Off you go. And Miki? Don’t forget your whiskers. “

She rolled her eyes at that but followed his wish, making a quick stop at the bathroom to paint them on. After that, she took off her clothes as requested and crouched on the bed in what she supposed was her best cat position. Eren gave her time, he always did, to make herself mentally ready and perhaps reconsider if she wanted this, but she was prepared for everything he could throw at her. Or so she thought.

The door opened and Eren entered, carrying a few items she couldn’t identify. He didn’t dress up as anything, as he sometimes did to match her, all he wore were his jeans, shirt forgotten somewhere along the way. He placed the stuff he brought on the bedside table, and turned back towards Mikasa, taking her stunning visage in.

“You ready? “, he asked when he forced himself to stop staring. No matter how many times he saw her naked, it just wouldn’t stop impressing him. 

“Yep, all good here. Oh, and how am I supposed to call you? “

“Master? “

“Really. “, she snorted, “Didn’t come up with anything better? “

“First of all, you won’t be speaking much anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. And second, what am I supposed to be called. Donovan? Alexander the Great? “

“Okay, okay, that would be pretty funny. So master hmm? Master…. master… Meowster? “

“Now who’s the funny one. “

“Just trying to put some spice into it, nothing serious. “, seeing him roll his eyes, she giggled, “Anyway. Light, camera, action! “

“Okay…“, Eren took a deep breath, and she could see the way his face changed, his features hardening and the man inside being temporarily replaced by something crueler and colder. It was admirable how fast he could slip into a role, his imagination being usually the one that fueled their games by his ideas. Mikasa had to stop her own thighs from pressing together when she saw him change, because she could tell that something very intense was coming her way. Not Eren anymore, but Mikasa’s master came close and grabbed her chin, roughly, turning it left and right as if to get a good look at her. “You are a pretty thing, aren’t you. I can see why I had to pay so much. “

The wheels in Mikasa’s head were working at full speed, doing their best to keep her up to date. The only problem with Eren’s roleplaying was that he sometimes got too carried away by it, and she had to think really hard to realize what he was implying or suggesting. Right then. So since he bought her, she’s some kind of catgirl turned slave? Well if she’s a catslave, she’s not going down without a fight. Baring her teeth, she hissed at him, and scratched in his direction, the best image of an angry feline she could muster.

“Feisty, are we? “, he growled, and his other hand made contact with her cheek, giving her a slap. But cat Mikasa wouldn’t be broken so easily. She hissed again, tearing her face from his grasp and backing away from him, further up on the bed. If the ears on her head were real, she would have them plastered against her skull, tail up in the air. Eren looked far from discouraged however, chuckling as he dug into the bundle he brought, pulling out two items she knew very well. Collar and a leash. “Come here. “, he ordered. Mikasa hissed at him instead. “Have it your way then. “, he shrugged, and attacked. 

They struggled on the bed for a while, with Mikasa willingly abandoning her vast knowledge of close combat she had and just blindly lashing out against him, trying to break his grip. If they fought for real, the victor would be clear, but in a contest of brute strength with no technique included they were almost evenly matched, the years he accompanied her at the gym leaving their mark on his body. Maybe she couldn’t get into her role as quickly as Eren, but she was surely sinking into it now, doing her best to scratch him and landing a solid hit across his face. But Eren’s pain tolerance was rather high, especially in a state like he was now, so in the end she found herself safely collared with the leash secured in the metal ring on front. There’s not much you can do when your opponent has a solid hold on your neck, so soon her face was pressed into the bed, ass up in the air, and Eren’s body covering hers from behind. Mikasa would honestly be completely content if he just ended the play right there, the fight turning her on more than she expected it to, but Eren was just beginning. With a firm hand, he shook her by the nape. 

“Will you be a good kitty now? “, she meowed something he didn’t quite catch, so he gave her exposed ass a ringing slap, “What was that? “

“Yes! I said yes! “

Satisfied, he let go of her, but not of the leash, forcing her to follow as he climbed off the bed. He stopped her before she got down, letting her kneel on the edge of the mattress as he took another item from his bundle of wonders, this time it was a new thing, one Mikasa didn’t recognize. When Eren shook it open, she studied it, not sure what is the intended purpose of the leather. “This, “, her ever so kind master explained, “is a straightjacket. I use it to bind the wild cats while I domesticate them, and you are the wildest I had up to date. “ Ah, she could see it now, the long sleeves with straps at the end to be secured around her torso. Eren gave her no time to admire it however and neared her with the thing at the ready. “Hands front. “, he ordered. But Mikasa was supposed to be a wild cat, wasn’t she? And you should never let those out of your grasp. So she didn’t obey and crawled out of his reach instead, baring her teeth at him once more. Eren just arched an eyebrow at her behavior, carefully laying down the restraining clothing for a later use.

“Have you checked the collar I put on you kitty? “

Frowning, Mikasa fingered the thing on her neck. It was thick, a solid leather, and there was something attached to the side, like a little box? With an unchanging expression, her master reached into his back pocket for a remote and switched it on. The catgirl was hit by wave of electricity, originating from the blasted necktie, making her fall on the bed. The pain wasn’t that bad, Eren didn’t mean to hurt her of course, but combined with the surprise it gave her quite a jump. Before she could retaliate, he zapped her again, just for a good measure.

“A shock collar. Useful little gadget, no? “, he wiggled the remote at her, “See, as soon as I put it on you, you became my plaything. There is nothing you can do anymore, so be a good kitty and do as I say. Now come here, and extend your hands, just like I said. “

Defeated, she crawled back to him and extended her arms, letting him slip the material over them. It didn’t take him long to pull the straps as they were supposed to be, forcing her hands to hug her torso underneath her chest. Another strap went up and secured the bottom part to the top, going right between her breasts, and when she looked down, she realized another thing. This jacket had a boob window, letting both of her tits out in the open, exposed for her master. With a last few tugs, she was tied, rendering both of her arms completely useless, no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t get out of it. 

“Now then, “, with a pull on the leash, Eren got her to stand from the bed and turned her around, once again pressing her face against the mattress, bending her body over, “time for your punishment. “Where the bastard pulled the cane from she had no idea, but it landed on her rear with a thump, making her jolt. Instinctively, she tried fighting against it, but no amount of thrashing got her out of his iron hold. Not that you can brawl much in a straightjacket anyway. “Baaaaad kitty. “, he growled, hitting her ass again, and again, the bite of the wood rather painful, until she ceased her efforts and just sobbed into the mattress, tears flowing from her eyes. Seeing her limp beneath him, he let go of her, letting his prey recover for a minute and put the cane down in favor of a new toy. Mikasa’s quiet crying was interrupted by a finger, suddenly pushing in between her buttocks. “Easy, easy girl. “¸ he laughed darkly behind her, “Cat needs her tail, right? “ Curious, she looked over her shoulder to see what he was talking about. It was a plug, like the one they used multiple times before, with the difference being the black tail attached to it. Just then he decided to up the tempo and pressed in a second finger, also generously lubed, stretching her. Mikasa moaned and shuddered beneath him as he worked her open, easing her muscles to relax before finally deeming her ready and lubing the metallic toy itself, pressing it in and withdrawing his fingers at the same time. The plug slid in rather easily and she had to grit her teeth not to let out another loud sound. 

“There. All done. “, he straightened and once again tugged the leash down, forcing her to kneel at his feet. “How about you thank your master for taking such a good care of you, kitty? “, with those words he grabbed his crotch, indicating what he had in mind. Mikasa wasn’t in on that however. Even with the butt plug making her stomach do backflips because anytime she moved she could feel it shifting inside her, she refused to be beaten. Mikasa frowned up at Eren, clacking her teeth together, clearly showing what will happen if he tries forcing his way into her mouth. 

“I see…“, he grinned, grateful that he came prepared for everything today, not trusting the shock collar to prevent his member from being bitten clean off. Hypothetically of course. Another item retrieved, he couched to be at eye level with her, holding it up. “Spider gag. “, he explained the metal circle with rods connected, attached to a leather strap. “This thing here will keep your lovely mouth open so I can…. You won’t let me put it in, will you. “ Lips tightly pressed together, the slave catgirl shook her head defiantly. Welcoming the challenge, Eren leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, one that went completely against the play so far. Mikasa watched him, eyebrows knitted together, wondering what the hell he was up to. It was all a distraction, of course, because while she kept her eyes on his face he sneaked a hand behind her and tugged on the tail. It wasn’t hard enough to pull it out, but it did shift it significantly, making her mouth open in a moan. Wasting no time, Eren attacked, pressing the metal into the space between her lips and securing it with the strap around her head before she realized what was happening. Satisfied, he pressed another kiss to her scar and stood up, while Mikasa slowly came to understand that the gag worked exactly as he described it. The construct kept her jaws open wide, preventing any sort of retaliation she could do with her biting skills. She shook her head, bewildered, trying to get it out of her mouth, but the strap held fast. “All right. “, Eren seemed on top of the world above her, tugging at the leash to get her mouth as close to his crotch as possible, dragging it alongside the fabric of his jeans, “Where were we? “

She fought back as much as she could, but on her knees in a leather straightjacket and a gag that forced her mouth open, there was next to nothing she could do when he unzipped his fly and pushed his member deep into her mouth. Eren didn’t seem to have any intention on stopping and kept going until he hit the back of her throat, and she gagged around his length, but he wouldn’t let her go, keeping her pressed against him. The coarse hair at the base of his shaft tickled her nose, but there was nothing she could do, the hand fisted in her hair prevented her from doing anything. Just as she was about to start worrying about breathing, he let go of her, and she pulled back, coughing and gasping for air. Mikasa tried standing up, but his hand flew back in the thick of her hair, keeping her grounded. 

“Not yet, kitty. Don’t you want your milk? “ With another wicked grin, he pushed her back in once again making her gag while Eren tipped his head back, doing nothing to muffle his groan. The pulsating of her throat around him, that felt amazing. He let himself enjoy the sensation again, and again….truthfully, he lost count. When Eren finally regained control and forced himself to stop, Mikasa’s face was all red and she was breathing hard, filling her lungs with that sweet oxygen he kept denying her. But she didn’t try to use the safeword to stop him, not once. 

“Okay kitty, okay…. You’ve earned your reward. “with another tug on her hair he brought her face close again, but didn’t force her to take it in, “Suck. “, her master ordered. And this time, Mikasa obeyed. Closing the tiny distance she kitten licked the shaft all over before taking him in her mouth, again, tracing her tongue around the head. Eren let her work at her own tempo this time, the groans and sighs of pleasure falling from his lips alongside silent praises that told her just how good of a job she was doing. It didn’t take the catgirl a long time to get him to finish, the orgasm wrecking through his body as he emptied himself into her mouth, and she swallowed it all, like the good kitty she was. Eren would most likely make another milk reference, but at the moment his brain wasn’t very capable of creating any sort of clever remarks. Another tug on the leash made her release him, and Eren picked her up and threw her on the bed. Mikasa was fully expecting the game to be done, and that he will finally fuck her, the plug in her ass making her more than ready to receive him, but instead the door clicked close and she was alone, the taste of him still lingering in her mouth. 

In the bathroom, Eren slid down on the ground, hiding his face behind his palms. It took all of his willpower and more to leave her alone back there, because even right after his finish he wanted to just say screw it and cover her bound body, fucking her hard enough to make her scream her lungs out. No, not yet, he said to himself, he had plans for this evening, and she wasn’t getting out of it this easily. Eren took a deep breath and stood up, drank a glass of water and washed his face, looking into his reflection. You can do it. C’mon. All right, showtime.

The door opened again to let her master back in, and Mikasa ceased her useless struggling on the bed. She knew she can’t break out of the binding, but the force of habit still made her push against it with all her strength, making the leather creak around her. “Shh kitty, I’m back, don’t worry. “ Mikasa could hear him move and followed him with her eyes, as he came back with a new accessory, this time a set of leather belts. Before she could wonder what they do, not like she could ask anyway with the spider gag still in place, Eren got to work. Sliding a pad under her knee, he bent her leg, doing the same to the other before dragging the strap that connected them behind her neck. Oh, so this is how it worked. The thing kept her legs spread, drawing her knees up and preventing her from pulling her thighs together. Keeping his cool, he picked the belts up next, working them around her limbs. With a pull, he forced her to press her calf to her thigh, which in combination with the sling effectively immobilized her legs. Two more leather straps went to her right leg before he repeated the process with the other one, and she was done. Straightjacket around the torso, legs kept apart and bent, held together by belts, spider gag keeping her mouth open, there was nothing she could do. Mikasa was demoted from a catgirl to a cat-toy, not able to move a muscle on her own, completely surrendered to him. All she could do was watch as Eren looked over his handiwork, sliding his fingers over the bindings, making sure they are both secure but not too tight, not cutting into her blood circulation. Satisfied, he stood up, and pulled a blindfold from his back pocket, slipping it over her eyes and cutting off her vision. Now they were both ready to continue their playtime. 

Mikasa heard the click of the wand accompanied with the telltale buzzing a second before she could feel Eren’s body hover over her, and a light kiss on her cheek accompanied the press of the toy between her folds, making her jolt. 

“Oh I would almost forget. “, said her unseen master, a dark chuckle accompanying his words, another click made her wonder what kind of machine he brought this time, but any sort of question was cut short when the damn plug started vibrating inside her ass. The whine she let out was muffled, but soon it intensified when he put the wand back to work, abusing both of her areas at once. He had to stop soon, Mikasa thought to herself, moaning, the open type of the gag not doing much to silence her, otherwise she would come, and he wanted to edge her, no? But for reasons unknown, he didn’t, and she soon found herself groaning loudly as her release washed over her body, making her shiver.

Yet Eren didn’t sound angry when he turned the toys off and whispered in her ear. “Surprised that I let you come, aren’t you? “, he hadn’t waited for her answer before continuing. “You see, I have decided to try a new strategy tonight. I won’t deny you at all, instead, “ Mikasa could feel the way his lips curled upwards on her ear, “I will make you come, again and again, until you will beg me to stop. And then, then I’ll say no, and continue, completely exhausting you. Its mating season after all. How does that sound, kitty? “ She made a sound, deep in her throat, that sounded dangerously close to a purr, and he grinned before switching both toys back on in the same time and starting his work on her. 

If anything, Eren was true to his word. He made her come again, and again, contracting her muscles wildly and giving her no time to rest, her abused clit growing more and more sensitive with each finish. He kept a variety though, assisting the wand with his fingers, his mouth, and sometimes even his own dick, with varying results. Overrating his control, he couldn’t stop his hips from moving once he was in the first time and fucked into her hard until he came, a loud curse spilling from his lips. The overworked catgirl thought that he will let her rest, the repetitive orgasms making quite a mess from her brain, and he did, but just for a time. Before she could really relax her muscles, he was back on the job, biting into her nipple roughly and pressing his member back into her aching sex, making her whimper. There was no part of her body that was left untouched, sucking on her breasts while he rutted into her. Eren used everything he had to pleasure her, using any trick in the book he could think of to make her come as quickly as possible. She would grit her teeth if she could, but she was forced to bite into the metal as he teased another finish out of her, Mikasa’s whole body struggling as she tried to get away from him and his endless torment, but there was no way out. She could no longer tell where one orgasm finished and the next one started, caught in an infinite loop of contracting muscles and waves of pleasure washing over her like a tide. Sweating, panting hard, Mikasa was at her limits, and Eren must have felt it somehow, because the blindfold disappeared from her and she could finally use her eyes again, blinking away the tears combined with the beads of pleasure. The gag was pulled from her mouth, allowing her to work her aching jaw, but the discomfort was small compared to the oversensitiveness of her delicate parts. She started speaking even before she realized it, her swollen lips opening and closing to let out her pleas in between her panting. 

“Eren…Master…please…I can’t….not again…please….“

He watched her, a tenderness slipping into his eyes that wasn’t supposed to be there, and he cradled her cheek gently, smoothing the strands of hair that were plastered everywhere to her face by the sweat back behind her ears. And neither of them did anything for a time.

“P-Please….“

That’s when he decided.

“Nah, you aren’t done. Cats in heat require a special care, and you can handle a few more. “

The following “No!” scream was muffled by a gag he pushed into her mouth again, the classic rubber ball this time, not metal. Ignoring her struggling, Eren calmly secured the strap behind her head, silencing her. With the blindfold removed, she watched him with wide eyes as he dropped his hand between her spread legs, the leather of her bonds creaking as she tried to force them closed, to no avail of course, and soon his fingers were on the tail, pulling, playing with it. Mikasa was completely wrecked, her body pushed at the uttermost edge of her limits, her clit so swollen and sensitive that she was sure a strong gust of wind could make her come at this point. But while he toyed with her, her master kept his eyes on her face, saw the way she bit into the rubber of the gag in her discomfort, saw the way her eyes fluttered close and new tears took place of the old ones. Taking in the state of her, he tugged at the tail harder, and the plug came out with a wet sound, once again pushing Mikasa over the edge. She whined, but Eren ignored it, replacing the toy with his shaft, pressing into the stretched opening. He wasted no time, fucking into her with powerful thrusts, making her whole body slide on the bed, while Mikasa was once again caught in the unending stream of hormones. Her eyes rolled back and there was a trickle of drool at the corner of her lips, sliding down as the control over her basic body functions was completely beyond her at this point. Seeing it, knowing that this was the end, he clicked something open, letting a small object fall on the bed before resuming his movements, and soon found his finish, emptying himself into the tight heat of her ass, collapsing on top of her body. 

Truthfully speaking, Eren wanted nothing more than to just lie there, using her breasts as a pillow and drift off to sleep, but he couldn’t do that, not yet. With a groan, he straightened himself, shaking his head awake. Mikasa was completely done beneath him, just a few muscles twitching indicating that she is still alive. Honestly, he was a bit anxious if he didn’t overdo it this time, but now was not the time to worry. Blinking the tiredness out of his eyes, he began undoing the straps he tied her with. She was completely unresponsive when he finished unwrapping her, hands limply lying next to her body when he pulled the straightjacket off, and It made him scared enough to check her vitals, but those were going strong, indicating that she was only passed out. Wouldn’t be the first time. Eren continued by unclipping the collar from her neck, putting it on the bed, but when his hand went up for the ears, he smirked and pulled back, letting them stay on. Remembering that she sweated buckets, he grabbed a glass of water and sat next to her, gently shaking her. Mikasa didn’t open her eyes but moaned something, indicating that she was coherent enough to follow simple orders.

“Here, “, he said, pressing the edge of the glass to her lips, “Drink this.“, with a gentle hand, he caressed her hair, “You can sleep after. “

The promise of sleep forced her body to move, and she drank, draining the water before falling back on the bed, curling into a more comfortable position. With a sigh, Eren collected his unconscious tank of a girlfriend into his arms, carrying her over to the bathroom where he laid her down on the carpet, covering her body with a robe and turning the valves to let the warm water trickle into the tub. Letting her rest for now, he returned to the bedroom, sorting out the toys, putting away those that needed to be cleaned and returning those that didn’t back into their place. Dutiful as ever, Eren also changed the bedding, because the current one was soaked by sweat and other bodily fluids Mikasa’s body dispensed over the course of the evening. The toys could wait however, Mikasa could not. She was still sleeping when he came back into the bathroom, so after checking the temperature of the water and finding it pleasing, he picked her up again and carried her to the tub, lying down and letting her rest on his chest. There, this was perfect. To keep himself from dozing off, he washed her before washing himself, and afterwards just dragged his fingers through her hair, the activity quite soothing. Before he realized it, she was purring on top of him, like a real cat, and he was not sure if it was intentional from her side or just a natural reaction of her body.

“You….I….I still have the ears on… right? “, whispered the voice into his chest, tone exhausted almost as much as her body felt. With a tired hand, she reached up, and feeling the softness on top of her head she couldn’t hold back a smile. 

“Of course. “, Eren grinned down at her, “You look way too cute in them. “

She slapped his chest, but it lacked any power. 

“I…“, she bit back a yawn, “I told you to stop…. And you…didn’t. Bastard. Now…. I wont walk…for a week. “, with the way her lower half felt, that could very well be true.

Eren could feel the insecurity climbing up his spine. Did he really overdo it? Did he cross her limits? “Uhm…. Did you really want me to stop? Miki? “

She looked up at him, face betraying nothing. 

“Eren…why do we have the safewords? “

“Well, to stop the other one from doing what we don’t want them to do. To always have a way out should we chose to use it. “

“And did I use mine? “

“No… you didn’t. “

This time, she rewarded him with a smile.

“See? So stop worrying, please. You are an amazing dom, stop doubting yourself Eren, I’m immensely satisfied with our playtime. “

He felt a significant weight dropped from his shoulders. Angling his head, he pressed their lips together, carefully, but mid-kiss she started softly snoring into his face, once again lost to the world. 

 

When Mikasa woke in the morning, or rather afternoon, she realized, squinting into the daylight, Eren was gone. Just as she was about to go and look for him, he entered, carrying a tray with food. 

“Breakfast in bed? “, she arched an eyebrow at him, “What did I do to deserve that? “

“More like a lunch at this hour. And, well, you said that you won’t be able to walk for a week, didn’t you. “, he winked at her, “ So I thought I might help you, since its kinda my fault. “

When she pulled herself upright, she winced as the abused parts called for her attention, signaling that she maybe wasn’t completely wrong in her guess. As she tried moving a bit closer, something caught her eye. Reaching out, she picked up the small object, turning it against the light. Her mind was still tired, so it took her a few seconds before she realized what it was.

“Eren? Mind explaining this? “, he looked up from the tea he was pouring for her and frowned. But when he got a good look, his eyes widened a bit and his ears colored, embarrassment appearing on his face. “I…. I can explain….“

If Mikasa was the top for the previous night, it would be completely normal to find one of these in their bed. But with her playing the enslaved catgirl, she couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that she was holding one of the cock rings in her hand. After their evening with the silk cord, she ordered a whole set of those, and honestly fell in love with the toy. It allowed her to edge Eren mercilessly, as long as she wanted to, without the possibility of him ruining her fun. But why was it here, after he was the dom for the night, that was a mystery. So she looked back at her blushing boyfriend, waiting for him to continue.

“After… After I came for the second time, I…. I took one of those and put it on me, so I could keep fucking you without...ending things… too soon. “, he scratched the back of his head, “It sounds kind of stupid, if you think about it. “

It was stupid. But also… romantic in a certain, twisted way. Eren was willing to go this far to ensure that he won’t let her down during their playtime, that he will do to her everything he promised and more, that was… Mikasa shook her head. That was just so Eren.

“Come here. “, she beckoned him close, and when he did she kissed him, whispering “Thank you. “ against his lips. After all, this was a night she will certainly remember, as Eren once again showed her just how far her limits could stretch. But when she heard him chuckle against her, a certain question creeped up in her mind.

“Eren? “

“Yes love? “

“You took the cat ears off me, didn’t you? “

“Of course not. How would I recognize my favorite kitty without them? “

How could he be so serious and childish at the same time, that was still a mystery to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	40. A Thief in the Night

Mikasa was tired. No, tired and grumpy, that was way more accurate. Tired because she spent half of the day at the Third Wheel (subject to change), helping her friends with the renovations, and the other half in the gym, fighting with Annie. The blonde was back, but the relationship they had was different, in a way Mikasa didn’t like at all. That’s the reason why she was grumpy. Annie made it clear that they were not friends, not anymore, but rivals, and their sparring existed just because there was no one else good enough for her. At least she wasn’t trying to kill her in the ring, that was an upgrade from the last time. But they both still gained many bruises that weren’t exactly necessary. Mikasa’s lips curled upward a bit. This time, she gave as good as she got, so they were both limping away after finishing. 

So yes, all she wanted to do right now was curl up next to Eren and forget about everything for at least a few hours, but her plan had serious holes in it. For starters, her desired companion was still at work, so all she could do was sit on a couch bundled up in a comforter and glare daggers at the TV, as if Eren’s long hours were the machine’s fault. Even with all her bruises and discomfort, somehow her exhaustion still managed to overtake her, and she dozed off. Mikasa didn’t hear the door open and close as her boyfriend finally made it home, smiling when he saw her sleeping with her eyebrows knitted together, managing to look angry even unconscious. As carefully as possible, he slid his arms under her and tried picking her up, but she stirred and opened her eyes, face lighting up when she saw him looming over her.

“Eren…You’re home…“

“Did I wake you? I’m sorry. “

She just shook her head and yawned. “It’s fine, I wanted to wait for you anyway. Can we go to bed? “

“I can’t sleep yet Miki, I’m way too pumped from my shift. “, she frowned at him and to make her feel better, Eren picked up her hand and pressed his lips against her wrist, smiling. “By the way, have I told you that this tattoo is super badass? “

“Only like a hundred times. “, when he fell silent, she nudged him with her elbow, “But do it again. “

He chuckled. “Okay. So you see, the A of it is like in your name Ackerman, or it’s because you are Asian, so it’s referencing multiple traits, which is super cool. “, he traced the black lines with tiny kisses, “And it’s made out of swords, so it shows that you are also dangerous, and no one can fuck with you. “

Mikasa, who wasn’t feeling very dangerous right now, more like sleepy, wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed into the place where it met the shoulder. Taking the hint, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, tucking the blanket over her and kissing her forehead. When Eren pulled away, she was already sleeping, but this time with a small smile on her lips, the negative emotions gone for now. As silently as he could, he left the room and went back down, planning to just burn himself out with a few games before joining her. Eren’s agenda got a serious hit however, when someone knocked at the door. Wondering who the hell is bothering him at this hour, he answered, just to see that it was no one else but Jean, awkwardly squinting into the light. 

“Hey dude, mind if I come in? “

“So, what I can do for you? “, asked the confused Eren, once they sat down on the couch, the Tekken main menu silently playing in the background. 

“It’s kinda embarrassing, “, Jean scratched the back of his head, “But Sasha called, apparently she wants me to do some work over at the new bar of hers tomorrow, and I was supposed to fly out today. So I didn’t have the hotel booked, and you know how crazy the situation is with last minute reservations. “ He eyed the couch they were sitting at. “I wanted to ask if I could crash here overnight, before I get a new place going somewhere. “ 

“Well…Uhm…Sure I guess, no harm in that. “, Eren nodded at his friend, seeing him relax, “You wanna play some Tekken before we call it a night? “

“Always. “

After about an hour of matches, Eren felt tired enough to sleep, so he wished Jean good night and headed upstairs, curling around his girl, who somehow reacted to him even in her deep slumber, pushing her body closer to his. Meanwhile downstairs, Jean lay on the couch, eyes open, silently cursing the first day he ever met Hange.

 

There was someone in the house, Mikasa was sure of it. And the only person that was supposed to be here was Eren, who was asleep, spooning her from behind. There, another sound, as if someone was trying to find his way in the dark, afraid to turn the lights on. She could feel the cold fingers of fear gripping her stomach. This, this was way too familiar to how she lost her family, her parents. Thieves in the night, clumsy, waking them up and shooting them. No, that’s not going to happen, not again. Mikasa used all of her strength and pushed the fear away, hid it, coated it over with dedication. She couldn’t bear losing Eren, not now, not ever. Careful not to wake him, she sneaked out of his hands and off the bed. She knew him, very well in fact, and knew that if he would wake he would most likely try to take out the robber out himself, and that had the possibility of him getting hurt. Never. As silently as possible, she crouched next to the door of their bedroom, listening. The footsteps were getting closer, as the criminal seemed fully intent of barging in on them, most likely to kill them before they get the chance to call for help. Mikasa could feel the way her muscles tensed, her hands balling into fists. She wasn’t a helpless nine-year-old, not anymore. She was strong, stronger than anyone, strong enough to protect what she held dear. The door opened, slowly, and a dark tall shadow filled the frame, looking, searching. But she gave him no time. There was a significant height difference between them, about eight inches, as the invader was even taller than Eren, but that did nothing to phase her. She punched him in the stomach, hard, and the shadow doubled over, an “Oof“ leaving his lips as all the air suddenly vacated his lungs. In a position like this, he was vulnerable, and she took advantage of it. Another hit landed on the shadow’s chin, powerful enough to send him back, tumbling down the way he came. At the foot of the stairs, he remained lying, motionless. 

The ruckus was enough to wake Eren however, who bolted over to her side and switched the lights on. And she realized, with a horror on her face, that she knew the invader. It was Jean, knocked out, with blood all over his face, eyes closed. Mikasa started shaking, the adrenaline dying down and allowing the fear she pushed back to flow back in, taking over her. An arm wrapped around her, and Eren pressed a kiss to her temple, rubbing small circles on her back. Honestly speaking, he wanted nothing more than to soothe her, but the fact that there was an unconscious friend, bleeding all over his floor made him reconsider.

“Miki, why don’t you go back to bed. I’ll deal with this and come join you as quickly as possible, okay? “, still in shock, she nodded, and headed back to the bedroom, clicking the door closed behind her. Eren took a deep breath, rubbing his face as he redirected his gaze on Jean. What the fuck just happened?

 

Someone slapped him. And again. And again. Jean groaned, slowly opening his eyes, and regretting it right after because his whole face hurt like a bitch. 

“Wake up, or I’ll slap you again. “

Head drifted into his view, which his brain managed to attach to Eren, but for some reason the doctor was frowning down at him, his long hair hanging freely around his face. 

“W-What…happened. “, he managed to croak, squinting against the pain.

“I’ll be asking the questions first. “ Eren was merciless “Why the fuck were you sniffing around our bedroom, huh? I let you crash overnight and this is my reward? Seriously? “

The facts came flooding back in, and Jean’s cheeks colored when he realized what must have happened. But he couldn’t tell him the truth, no way. “I…. Just wanted to take a leak and I guess I must have lost my way. “

Eren wasn’t buying it. “You were here already, you know where the toilet is very well. So try again, and maybe the truth this time. “

“Why are you even so angry? I just lost my way, and Mikasa almost kills me for it, I should be the offended party here! “

“Seriously Jean. You can’t think of a reason why Mikasa, out of all people, would have irrational fear of home invasions? “

“Oh fuck. “, he slapped his forehead and instantly regretted it, because it hurt like hell. Her parents, her family, they died because of a robbery gone wrong. Fuck sake, how could he be so stupid? “I didn’t realize that. I’m so sorry. “

“Right. You can apologize later, start with the truth please. “

There really was no way out, Jean realized. So he took a deep breath and spilled his beans. “I came to try and remove a bug I placed in your bedroom, back when you and Mikasa were going through your pause phase. And before you ask, no, I didn’t do it for myself, Hange ordered me to. “

“What. The actual. Fuck. “

“Yea… Look I’m sorry, I tried telling her that I won’t do it, but she just… has connections you wouldn’t expect from someone like her. I really couldn’t say no. “, this was so fucking embarrassing, “I’ll just get out of your hair, how about that. “

“I…No, you don’t have to. “, Eren really didn’t want to deal with this shit in the middle of the night, “It’s like what, two A.M? Just tell me where the bug is and go back to sleep. Okay? “

So Jean told him. 

 

It was cold, so cold, that It didn’t matter when Mikasa wrapped her arms around her legs and pulled herself into the smallest ball she could, it wouldn’t help. She tried really hard to just breathe the panic attack away, to tough it out, but it didn’t disappear, it kept coming over and over, waves of fear and hysteria washing over her, making her feel more terrified than she did in months. The door opened, and her body tensed on its own, ready to fight whoever it was, but when she dropped the palms from her eyes, and saw that it was Eren, she could feel the temperature rising, if only by a few degrees. He didn’t go to her, as she craved him to, instead he kneeled down, dropping down on the floor and pushing his hands under the bed, as if searching for something. He swore when his fingers found what he was looking for and he angrily tore it away, standing up from the floor and finally doing what he wanted to, wrapping his arm around the shivering Mikasa. 

“I’m scared…“, she whispered into his shoulder, arms hugging him tight.

“Shh, its fine, nothing happened. It was just a…misunderstanding. Of sorts. “

So Mikasa closed her eyes and inhaled Eren’s scent, letting the familiarity and heat chase away the horrors of the past. And they went, slowly and unwillingly, but dissolved anyway, back into the darkness. When she looked up, she could see that he was watching her, hand gently moving through her hair.

“Hey baby, you okay? “

“Ye... I’m fine, its gone. “ she took a deep breath, but didn’t let go of him, “Why was Jean sneaking around here? What did he want? “

“He came after you went to bed and asked for a place to crash. “, Eren grimaced a bit, opening his palm to reveal a tiny black device, “But in truth he came for this. Our bedroom was bugged. “

“Wait…Bugged? By who? “ 

“Hange. “

“Hange?! “

“Yep. Apparently, it was part of her research or some shit but this... “, he shook his head, “this seriously crossed the line. I’ll have a real talk with her tomorrow, to explain that I’m not okay with shit like this, like at all. “

“Okay….“, she angled her head until she could press her lips to his, a sweet little thing that just assured her that everything is really fine, Eren wasn’t hurt, nothing happened, “Can we go to sleep now? “

He smiled down at her.

“Of course. “

 

Hange had a slight panic attack when she saw Eren’s name on the display of her phone just the day after she sent Jean on the retrieval mission. Okay, okay, keep cool, maybe it has nothing to do with this, maybe he just wants to know if Levi is free to work on the bar today, maybe he just wants to talk. Easy, easy….

“Hey Eren! So glad that…“

“Cut the shit. I know about the bug. “

Well fuck.

“Hange, what the fuck were you thinking? Not only invading on our private lives, but you also sent Jean to do like what? A fucking black ops operation in a home of a past robbery victim? Are you crazy? “

Oh damn, she completely forgot to take Mikasa into the equation. The girl had troubles, and with the body she had she was more than capable of killing poor Jean barehanded. Was he dead? “What did she do? “, Hange asked, already fearing the answer.

“Broke his nose, and knocked him out, luckily that was it. I set it back before waking him. But that doesn’t change the fact that you really went overboard with this shit. Asking me questions is one thing, but this? Are you insane? “

“Look, Eren, I know you are angry, but I really didn’t mean anything bad with it, I swear. Look, why don’t we grab a lunch together, and ill explain it in more details. Sounds good? “

It didn’t sound good, but the offer of explanation was enough for him to say yes. After all, he liked Hange, he really did, and didn’t want to stay mad at her forever for this. 

 

“There’s another woman waiting for you in the lobby. “

Eren looked up from his work to see Onya leaning on the wall.

“She’s not half bad looking, but if you dumped your Asian goth goddess for her, you’ve made a huge mistake brother. “

“Nah man, this one is really just a friend. “

“I see. Where are you even taking them from? Is there like secret Yeager fan club I don’t know about? “

“They are just people I know, nothing serious. If you want, I can introduce you. “

“You would do that? “

“Sure, why not. Come with me after work, I’m going to a bar we are renovating, and everyone will be there. “

The whites of Onya’s teeth shined in his dark face. “Sounds like fun. “

Eren took a deep breath and went to the lobby, easily finding Hange in the crowd, because she was looking completely lost. The grabbed the lunch together, and she apologized again and again, told him her reasons, even showed him some of the research she was doing. And in the end, Eren just… couldn’t stay mad at her. She was just so devoted to her profession, it was rather amazing to see. He just had to forgive her, there was no other way, especially when she promised that she won’t do anything like this ever again. 

He was just saying his goodbye to her when his phone rang, Carla’s face on the screen.

“Hey mom, what’s up? “

“Eren! How come you didn’t tell me about the little project you and your friends are doing! “

“The bar? Well mom… I mean… You are…“

“Eren Yeager, are you calling me old? “

“What? No mom, of course not. How did you even find out about it? “

“Mikasa’s friend called, the owner, Sasha. An amazingly sweet girl, she wanted to know if I can hook her up with some charity supplies. Well, I told her that I can do even better, because I have a lot of experience in building and renovating, so I’m coming to help too! Isn’t it exciting? “

“Yep. I’m so excited right now. “

“Well that’s just swell. Oh, and Eren, will Mikasa’s brother be there? “

“Levi? Yea, I think. Why? “

“No reason. Love you sweetie, see you soon! “

The line disconnected, leaving Eren staring at the screen, wondering what the hell was his mother up to.

 

The bar was crowded when they finally got there, as everyone have already arrived before them. Carla was in her element, shouting orders left and right in her bright yellow safety helmet. Apparently, she brought a truck worth of stuff, and Sasha was on cloud nine right now, wheeling everywhere and getting in everyone’s way while distributing the home-made cookies she baked for her workers. Eren and Jean exchanged a quick nod, and he went to kiss Mikasa, which made Levi frown at him, before introducing Onya to the group. And with the niceties out of the way, the work resumed as if nothing happened. 

It wasn’t until the sky darkened that they called it quits, and gathered around the counter, eager to have at least a few drinks before heading back home. It was just Eren, Onya, Jean, Armin and Connie, because Mikasa and Carla were outside on the roof and Sasha was nowhere to be found, wheeling around with the cookies as she was, adamant that everyone calls her “meals on wheels” for now, and the rest of the crew had to leave already.

“Ok so, “ Eren took a sip out of his glass, eager to talk to Connie now that he was alone for a minute and not with Sasha, “How are you doing? How is she? “

“Sasha is amazing, really. I don’t even know how many times I came home to find Initial D blasting out of the speakers with her doing sharp ninety degree turns around every corner in our apartment, shouting Gas Gas Gas at the top of her lungs. “ He chuckled, “She’s so lively, its hard to believe sometimes. “

“What about the sex? “, asked someone into the silence. Eren looked up, ready to tell Jean to fuck off, but to his surprise it was Onya speaking. “What? I’m a doctor too, and I know that sometimes the victim of partial paralysis lose feeling in those regions, and sometimes they don’t. I just wanna know what her cause is. “

“I just think you are way too obsessed with a single aspect of a relationship. “, murmured Eren into his glass.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind the question. “ Connie didn’t look offended, he actually had a small smile on his face, “She has feeling, down there. I was super worried the first time around, about pain and stuff, but… We are good on that front. I just have to do most of the work, since her legs don’t work, but that’s it. “

“You sure she isn’t just faking it? To make you happy? “, asked Jean, making everyone frown at him in return.

“Well, you know. “, Connie looked him straight in the eye, “I’m not you, Jean, unlike you I actually know how to make woman orgasm. “ 

There was a wave of “Nice. “, whispers from everyone around the table, and they took a swig to celebrate Connie’s good fortune and another one to soothe down the burn.

“Okay, since it’s just us guys here, I have an idea. “, Onya said, once again drawing everyone’s attention. “Let’s play the ancient game humans always played, even back when we were huddling around campfires in our caves. “ To prolong the drama of the moment, he took another long drink, before finally setting the glass down. “Tits or ass. “

“Seriously? “

“C’mon man. “

“What? It’s a good game, it gives insight into a man’s soul. “, Onya had no intention of shutting up now, “Look, I’ll even go first. For me, its ass. “, he looked around, his gaze setting on Jean. “What about you? “

“I mean… It’s hard, but If I have to decide, then ass too. “

“Good choice! Connie? “

“Tits. “

“Well well well, its good to see some variety here! Armin? “

“Oh c’mon guys, you can’t ask that. Every girl is special, its hardly just about their looks. “

“Seriously man, just pick one. “

“I…No... I can’t. “

“Well all right then. Moving on! Eren? “

But before he could answer, Jean did it for him.

“Bro, this guy is dating Mikasa, it’s kind of obvious what he will say. “

“What’s that supposed to mean. “, Eren frowned at Jean, not really understanding.

“Well, buddy, let me put it like this. “, Jean threw an arm around his shoulders, “I’ve got nothing against her bust, don’t get me wrong, but have you seen her from behind? It’s like she was sculpted by gods themselves, too perfect for mere mortals. Hell, she even has it in her name! “, he looked around, grinning, “Mik-ass-a, get it? “ 

Everyone, fucking everyone around the table laughed and murmured their agreements, making Eren’s ears burning bright. He shook Jean’s hand off, angrily finished his drink and stood up, swaying just a little bit. 

“This is still my girlfriend we are talking about, so how about you keep your fascination with her ass to yourself? “

“Oh yea? “, Jean slowly rose to his feet, topping him by the four inches that separated them, “And what are you going to do about it? “

 

There was some commotion inside, Mikasa noted, covering last of the holes in the roof and sliding back down on the ground. Carla must have heard it too, because she had a grin plastered on her face.

“You should probably go save him, dear. “

“How can you be so sure that whatever’s happening inside is Eren’s fault? “

“Honey…“, she laughed, “You may have been dating him for the last five years, but he is my son. “

Carla’s motherly instincts showed to be truthful, because when Mikasa entered, she saw Jean and Eren wrestling on the ground, with the rest of the group around them, shouting their encouragements. The loudest of all was Sasha, who somehow appeared out of thin air, and Mikasa had a creeping suspicious that she collected bets on the fight, because of the purse she tucked away swiftly. It took her about five seconds to break them up, but they were both grinning, indicating that the brawl was nothing but a friendly spar. 

“All right, time to go. “, she said, dragging her drunk boyfriend away, “See you tomorrow! “

 

They walked back home, hand in hand, because the bar was in a very good location that was just a short distance from their home, letting the cool evening air sober him up. 

“Eren? “, he looked up from the ground, the smile he gave her different than the grin he had in the bar, more intimate, somehow. “The package we’ve been waiting for, it arrived. “

That got his attention.

“Oh my god, really? That’s amazing! And uhm… what about the other thing, you wanna try it out tonight? “

He really looked like a five-year-old who was just promised a pony, the way his eyes shined. But she shook her head.

“Nope, not tonight. You are drunk, and we are both tired, plus you have work tomorrow. When I use it, I mean to be…hmmm…. intense, just like you were. “ She winked at him. “The other thing will be there too.”

His smile only widened.

“Friday then? “

“Friday. “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a setup it's a setup
> 
> ° ͜ʖ ͡ -


	41. The Three Wishes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is no way Mikasa would take the events of last week lying down, is there. Time to do things her way.  
> In other words.  
> Smut for the smut god!
> 
> Enjoy!

Man, Eren sure has some weird ass dreams, Mikasa said to herself as she watched her fiancé kneeling on the floor, excitedly describing one of his recent sleeping adventures. 

“Yea, I was down on my knees, held on the ground with chains in a position just like this and, “, he spread his arms, “ I had my hands tied, each to a different place. Also…“ his eyes wandered down to his chest, “I was shirtless. 

“Shirtless? So it was us? Playing? “

“Nope, you weren’t even there. I wasn’t home, I was in a….cave? And there were some crystals, but I can’t recall how they fit in the story. But I do remember that I was afraid, terrified even, and…“, he shook his head, “I’m never afraid when we play, I trust you with my life. “

Secretly very pleased Mikasa came a bit closer, and while barefoot she could almost hear the clicking of the heels she usually wore as the domme. Eren didn’t stand up when she neared him, letting her freely run her hands through his hair, humming to herself. 

“And you want me to tie you just like in that dream? “

He looked up with a bright smile on his face. 

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble. “

Mikasa tapped her chin with one hand, keeping the other occupied with stroking his hair as she looked left and right, figuring things out. Him requesting this specific position made things a little bit more complicated, but she was never the one to back down from a challenge. Right, so he wanted to be kneeling, arms spread wide, and secured to the ground. Well, to do any of that, she needed something solid she could connect the chains or ropes to, otherwise it wouldn’t hold. She loved the guy but didn’t really feel like drilling into the floor and walls, the hook in the ceiling was enough. Well, most of the time. 

“We don’t have to do it, it was just an idea. “, said a voice from around her stomach. Oh right, Eren was still down there. He kept the same position, and if his knees were hurting, he didn’t show it. A well-trained sub, that’s for sure. 

“What, don’t you have any faith in your dom? “, she asked, frowning down at him. His smile didn’t waver, and he just wrapped his hands around her legs, pressing her close to him. 

“I always have faith in you. “

“So let me handle it. “She ruffled his hair affectionally, seeing him nod. Mikasa had to hold back a chuckle when she felt his hardness pressing into her calves and arched an eyebrow at him. “Really Eren, getting aroused just from kneeling down? Do you have it that bad? “

“With you looming over me like this, with that dominant look on your face? Fuck yes. “

She was just about to ask what the hell does “dominant look” mean, but out of nowhere Eren stood and didn’t let go, hoisting her up. “Wanna go to bed to get a taste of what’s coming Friday? “, he asked with a wink.

“Oh babe, you have no idea what’s coming. “, she said, dragging a finger down his face and not missing the way he shivered. “But I’ll take you up on the offer anyway. “ So Eren carried her off and the rest of the evening her brain didn’t function enough to even think about the possible solutions. 

 

Luckily for her, the problem solved itself in the end. Kind of. They were watching a movie, actually watching for a change, because the plot was interesting enough for Eren to look at the screen instead of doing his best to distract her, as he usually was. Nestled on his lap, with his hands under her shirt making small circles on her hipbones, Mikasa watched the agent climb the building, using some sort of high-tech gadgets that stuck to the surface. Stuck. To the surface. Hmmm.

“Suction cups! “

“Excuse me? “, Eren was looking at her like she just went crazy, and it was a good guess considering that she just started shouting words at seemingly random.

“Suction cups. “, she repeated, “I’ll use those as the point to attach the bindings to.“

She watched him as he connected the dots and finally his face lit up, signaling that he understood. 

“Damn, so you are not only beautiful, but super smart too? What’s your IQ, 300? “

Mikasa was too pleased with herself to respond to his teasing, and turned her attention back to the TV, fully intent on finishing the movie in peace now. That was until she felt Eren’s lips on her skin, slowly but surely traveling upwards. 

“S-Sto…”, the protest dissolved into a sigh, and she craned her neck to give him more access. Getting the hint, his hands repositioned, one slipping under the hem of her sweats and the other touching her stomach lightly. At least I got to see the most important part of the story, she thought as her brain started fogging over.

 

The week went by in a flash, and before they realized it, Friday was here, once again finding them in the bedroom, though there were significant differences now. For starters, Eren was wearing nothing but a towel, and his hair was damp, fresh from the shower. Mikasa, who was in bathrobe herself, since they showered together, only to save water and help mother earth of course, no other reason, was putting the cups she bought in place with a smirk. Two on the walls, two on the ground, to follow the dream as closely as possible. She even brought chains, not ropes, since he was bound with them in his imagination. 

“All right then, “, she straightened, turning towards her victim, “strip, and let’s get you in position. “

He was fast to follow the order, his mind in full on submission mode already, shedding his towel and kneeling down at the place she told him to. Mikasa wasted no time, cuffing both of his ankles and wrists and connecting them to the handles at the top of the cups via the chains. Each of his limbs got a separate one, just like he dreamed of, with the last one going around his waist to keep him grounded. Mikasa stood up, looking over her handiwork, while he tested the bindings. They were pulled tight, just as he wanted, making him unable to move, forcing him to spread his arms wide.

“So? “, she asked, eager to know how closely she managed to follow his scenario. 

“It’s….perfect! “, Eren’s eyebrows knitted together, as he seemed to remember another detail, “Pretty sure I was gagged too, though. “

“There will be plenty of time for that later. “, she said, not willing to take away his ability to speak right now, “How about I add some of my toys now, to spice it up? “

When he looked at her, his eyes were already darkening, the change she knew so well. He was ready.

“Please do, mistress. “

Satisfied with his answer and admittedly a bit turned on, Mikasa left her kneeling sub for a second to get a few more items she prepared just for this moment. Maybe he dreamt about the position, but she had every intention to make the reality even better. 

“See, Eren, “, she began, returning, “Since you were so nice to me the last time around with the vibrating plug, I got something of a kind for you. “ crouching to be at level with him, she reached out to touch him between the legs, smiling when he started hardening beneath her hand. With deft fingers, she slipped the ring on, adjusting it around his girth. Eren wasn’t surprised, not in the slightest, Mikasa simply loved using this kind of a toy, since edging him was one of her favorite activities. But this one seemed a bit more massive than the others, and before he could wonder why, she answered it for him. With a remote very similar to the one he had for the plug, she turned it on, and Eren couldn’t hold back his groan when it started to vibrate. 

“How do you like it? Feels good? “

“I…Y-Yes, th-thank you mistress. “

“Good boy. “ With that out of the way, she quickly fastened the collar around his neck, to solidify the roles for the night, showing that right now, Eren was nothing more than her pet, a plaything. Afterwards she pulled out the last item, a hood made out of solid leather. Eren eyed it suspiciously, but Mikasa patted his cheek to calm him. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing special. Just a little thing to take away your eyes and ears, to…hmm… heighten the anticipation. “

He wouldn’t say no to anything, Eren was always the one to go for new things, so he angled his head and she slipped the hood over his face, tightening it. Once it was on, he couldn’t see anything, and his hearing was severely impaired, but when Mikasa pressed her lips right against his ear, he heard her. 

“Now wait for me, puppy. I won’t be long. “

She left the doors open, so she could hear if he called for her, but otherwise abandoned him like that, because she still had things to prepare. Herself, most of all. After taking her time in the bathroom to apply her makeup, Mikasa opened the package in the living room, with mirror at the ready, and took out the outfit, her eyes sliding all over the shiny black material. Well, let’s get to it then. 

 

Mikasa twisted, stretched, doing her best to see her body from all possible angles. From catgirl to a catsuit wearing dominatrix, in just a week. The form-fitting garment clung to her closely but didn’t hamper her movements, it was made specifically for her after all. Eren was totally on board when she told him about her wish to own a catsuit of her own, the merchandise catching her eye back when they were browsing the web for the nurse outfit. There was a tiny problem though. While she had no problems with getting into any sort of gear before, this piece was a little bit special, with the way it hugged the whole body so tightly. She was sure she could squeeze into one of those from the internet, but truthfully speaking her form was a little bit different than the model’s. Mikasa’s shoulders were broader, her arms and legs a bit thicker with the added muscle. It was nothing serious, she could always get a bigger size, but then it wouldn’t be right over the stomach and chest, and Eren was having none of it. With money, everything is possible. Before she realized what was happening, he took her to a specialized shop where they measured her and promised to make a custom piece tailored for her. And well, here it was.

Honestly speaking, she expected to have a hard time getting into the thing, but it just fit her flawlessly, the people at the shop clearly knew what they were doing. It sat on her like a second skin, perfectly showing off her curves, even giving them a boost with the corset on her midriff. The black latex covered her whole body, ending at ankles, wrists and neck respectively, leaving her head, hands and feet exposed. But she would fix that. Mikasa stepped into the pair of high-heeled boots that reached almost up to her knees, zipping them shut before covering the skin of her hands with gloves. There, now she was ready. 

Returning back in front of the mirror, she was immensely pleased to see how perfectly it all looked together, the shade of black identical on all the pieces, so identical that she in fact couldn’t say where her boots ended and the catsuit began. And when she turned her back….damn. Mikasa wasn’t vain, not at all, but seeing the way the heels pushed out her butt, and how the black latex made the length and the shape of her legs stand out, that was something. It seemed like she was developing a slight fetish for these types of outfits, because when she ran her hands up her thighs and cupped her own ass, it made her shiver slightly. Eren was in for a treat, that’s for sure. Right then, now for the last request he had.

Mikasa took a deep breath and curled her gloved fingers around the leather handle. When Eren first asked her if she would be willing to use this thing on him, she was worried. She used floggers, paddles, crops and canes comfortably, but those were easy. As she watched the bullwhip lying coiled down on the couch, like a sleeping snake, she was glad that she took it slow with this thing. You needed certain skill, if you wanted to wield it effectively, and Mikasa invested the time to learn it, determined to fulfill her boyfriend’s wish. It was painful at start, because she managed to twist her wrist so bad that she whipped herself in the face once, but that did nothing to discourage her. And slowly, reluctantly, the whip learned to listen to her. She was still no Indiana Jones, but she was confident enough to use it on Eren now with no fear of hurting him, but also able to inflict enough of a sting that he would be satisfied. Mikasa picked the instrument up and turned back towards the bedroom where he was waiting. What did Eren always say? That’s right, showtime.

 

He didn’t hear her enter, the hood managing to muffle even the sound of her heels as she neared him. Eren’s head hanged low, and she could see the way his muscles tensed, the vibrating ring surely making it’s work on him by now. Mikasa crouched to match him, and just watched for a time as his teeth gritted, the chains he was bound with rattling a bit as he shifted in his position slightly. Deciding that it’s high time to make herself known, she took off his hood without a warning, and Eren blinked into the light, eyes immediately flying to her. Mikasa could see that she was not the only one who appreciated the outfit. To reward him for his patience, she gave him a show, turning her back and walking to put the hood back in the nightstand. She moved slowly, swaying her hips to show herself off as much as she could, and when she turned her head the effect was rather clear. Eren looked like he was dying, eyes glued to her backside and almost popping out of his head. He didn’t even notice the bullwhip until she shoved the tip into his mouth, roughly. 

“I’ve brought some real toys to play with you tonight, how about we give them a spin? “

He murmured his agreement quickly, and from the gleam in his eyes she could see just how much he was looking forward to this. Mikasa let go of him and circled his kneeling form, stopping behind him, and took a moment to enjoy the way his back muscles flexed, pulled tight by the way his arms were bound. Uncoiling the whip, she cracked it in the air, and he shivered, not in fear but in expectation. When the leather kissed his skin for the first time, he couldn’t hold back a deep growl. Fuck, this was just perfect. The pain was prominent, of course, but somehow his mind managed to twist it into pleasure. Eren didn’t know why he was like this, but he knew what he enjoyed, and he was incredibly grateful to find someone like Mikasa, who he could share his passions with. 

“How was that? “, she asked, once again somehow appearing in front of him. Seeing her from behind before, he recalled Jean’s words back from the bar. Sculpted by gods themselves, too perfect for mere mortals, was it? Well, he certainly couldn’t argue with that. Mik-ass-a. Good one, horse face. Seeing her confused look, he realized that he was chuckling to himself, which wasn’t very appropriate for this place and time. 

“It was perfect, mistress. But uhm, could I get something to bite into? “

A gag then. Luckily, she was prepared. Eren cocked an eyebrow at her when she came back with two items instead of one, but she ignored it and pressed the thing that wasn’t a rubber ball into his hand. He traced it with his fingers, frown deepening. 

“It’s a dog clicker. “, she explained, “A way for you to use your safeword even while gagged. Click it for me, would you? “

He did, the sound loud enough that she was sure she wouldn’t miss it. Satisfied with her safety protocols, Mikasa pushed the gag into his mouth and secured it in place with a leather strap around the back of his head. Overcome for a moment by the intensity of the situation, she kissed him then, first his bottom lip and then the upper one, as they were divided by the toy. When Mikasa disappeared from his view, Eren closed his eyes and steeled himself, fully intent on savoring what was to come. 

She watched him. The bare skin of his back was a canvas, white and untouched, and she was an artist, about to paint it red. It cracked, the sound of leather meeting body echoing slightly, and he moved, biting into the gag. Mikasa was ruthless, walking the line of what he could handle expertly, making him feel just what he wanted without crossing it. Another hit, and another right after, with a pause following to let the sting truly sink into him. The whip was leaving red marks after itself, letting her see where exactly she smacked him and distribute the lashes evenly. The next she aimed a bit differently, letting the tip lick at his side. Equality is important, after all. She lost count, as the whipping dragged on, the clicker in Eren’s hand remaining silent. He reacted to every hit, his body flexing and rocking slightly to absorb it the best he could, but the tightness of the chains didn’t give him much room to work with. Mikasa was sure she was already stretching his limits, knowing first hand just how sharply the whip bites into the skin. She punished him hard, going until her wrist started to ache slightly, but still he wouldn’t beg for mercy. Shaking her head, Mikasa decided to end it herself, knowing that Eren was so boneheaded sometimes that it hurt. Always so careful with others, but never with himself.

Coiling the whip, she circled him, taking in the state Eren was in. He sagged in his bonds, breathing hard, even drooling a bit, his back and sides painted red by the overlaying whip marks. But when she came to stand in front, she could see that his member was fully erect, twitching, and leaking a bit even with the ring on, indicating just how much he enjoyed the punishment. He moaned slightly when she nudged it with her boot, making her smirk. Wanting to see his expression, Mikasa grabbed his chin and angled it towards herself, studying him. Eren was deep in his subspace now, tears of pain streaming down his face, but his eyes were full of devotion and worship, indicating that the play was in full swing by now, and she was more than happy to act accordingly. 

“How did you like that, pet? Anything you want to say? “

When he nodded, she unbuckled the strap and pulled the gag from his mouth, gracefully returning his speech to him. For now.

“P-Please, mistress, let me… let me thank you. It was… so good…I’m not….worthy…. “

“Eager to please, are you? Well, since you are begging so nicely, I might even give you a piece of the thing you keep staring at the whole night. “

She turned, grabbing a fistful of his hair and pressed him against her covered ass, making him groan, hopelessly lost to the sensation. Without ordering him to, Eren licked at the latex, dragging his face over it, as if in his mind he was already pleasuring her with his tongue, the barrier between them gone. It only made her want his mouth on her more. Turning back towards him, she got to work on that. Mikasa freed his hands first, before coming behind and undoing the bindings on his ankles, the chain around his waist coming off last. Eren didn’t move the whole time, remaining on his knees, waiting for his mistress to give him the permission. Mikasa didn’t speak, walking away from him and sitting down on the bed, very aware of his gaze that followed her legs all the way.

“Come here then. “, she broke the silence, beckoning him close. And he crawled after her, not stopping until he was at her feet, just where he belonged. Mikasa didn’t even have to give him the order and Eren picked up her extended leg on his own, pressing his lips against the boot. He really did want to thank her, she mused as she watched him plant open mouthed kisses along the toe and down to the heel, licking alongside it. Definitely turned on by this show of obedience, Mikasa pushed it into his mouth, letting him suck on it while moving her leg back and forth slightly. Oh he was hers, that was for sure. Eren let her wreck him as much as she wanted to, worshipping both of her shoes evenly, switching when she ordered him to with a single nod. Seeing his tongue in action, licking broad stripes on the latex, did remind her of other places, where this type of activity would be way more pleasurable for her. Not that she didn’t enjoy the way he kissed her boots, but the barrier of black between his lips and her skin was starting to become bothersome. A word was all that was needed for him to take the zipper between his teeth and drag it down, repeating the process on the other leg before gently sliding the shoes, now slick and shiny from his saliva, from her feet, putting them on the floor. 

Eren looked up when she stood, eyes hooded, lips swollen from his activity, but all she did was point at the bed, the order clear. He climbed up and lied down, wincing as the beaten skin of his back made contact with the mattress, and she tied his arms, separately, mimicking the position he was in while kneeling. She disappeared. He could hear her move around in the room, before the bed dipped again, revealing that she was back. Mikasa was standing over him now, he realized, watching him like a true goddess watches her worshippers on the ground. All right, maybe he was a bit more poetic than usual, but he blamed the way his back hurt, the whipped skin making even the slide on the soft bed rather painful, his mind ruined by the hard punishment, or the fact that most of his blood was concentrated around his crotch, well, at least it felt that way. 

Mikasa was very grateful that she got the idea to take one of the suction cups and put in on the ceiling, because now she could hold on to it while standing on the treacherous bed, staring down at her bound victim. He looked so vulnerable, down beneath her, looking up at her with such awe. Eren watched her every move, silently, and Mikasa got a sudden urge to touch him, just because she could, so she lifted her bare foot and positioned it against his lips. There was no hesitation before he planted a kiss to it, and when she pressed against him lightly he obeyed the unspoken command, opening his mouth and letting Mikasa dip her toes in. Ah yes, this felt much better, when his tongue traced the outlines of each one, sucking lightly, before she pulled them out and allowed him to lick her sole. It tickled a bit. After Eren worshipped her all the way up to the ankle, she switched her legs, and let him lick the other one too, sighing slightly. It just felt so good, having him nibble at her skin, so gentle and giving. With a wet sound, Mikasa pulled her toes from Eren’s mouth, dragging them down over his body, touching ever so slightly on the right places, before reaching her target in between his legs. She could feel his member straining against her foot, as she pressed against it and a long moan left his mouth. Eren had to fight not to just rub himself against her, she could tell, but he was too well trained to give in to his base instincts. 

“M-Mistress? “, his voice interrupted her playtime, making her wonder if she didn’t step on him too hard.

“Hmm? “

“Can I….“, he cleared his throat, “Can I have some water please? “

“Thirsty, are you? But of course. I do take good care of my pets, don’t I? “

With that she hopped off the bed, getting a glass for him and reclaiming her position above, balancing herself by holding the handle of the suction cup with her free hand. She didn’t let him drink, it wouldn’t be that easy, instead she pressed her toes against his lips again, and when he let her push them in, she tipped the glass over her knee. Water is a liquid, and liquid follows a path, if it is given one. Sure, most of it still dribbled down over the latex that covered her skin and onto his body below her, but some drops went down, making way over the black material up till the paleness of her skin and continued, until Eren could suck them off the tips of Mikasa’s toes. It was messy, hardly effective, but so fucking hot at the same time. 

“I’m good now. “ he kissed the bottom of her foot in a show of gratitude. “Thank you, mistress. “

“Are you ready to serve me now, puppy? “

Normally he would be tempted to ask what he was doing until now, but normal behavior didn’t really have a place here. So he nodded eagerly instead, and Mikasa rewarded him with a smile before moving so she could crouch over his face. There was a zipper on the catsuit, Eren realized, right between her legs, and when she pulled it open he could see her pink lower lips, the way she glistened giving him the proof that he wasn’t the only one loving their little game. 

“Then serve. “ Was all Mikasa said before closing the distance, pressing herself right against Eren’s face. Wanting nothing more then to please his goddess, he obeyed immediately. The wetness between her thighs combined with the remnants of the water and saliva he had on his lips, allowing him to easily glide his tongue all around her, licking her exactly as she liked, and was rewarded with the little moans that fell from her. Adding his lips to the mix, Eren ate her out, greedily, noisily, not holding back at all, and soon she was grinding against him, selfishly chasing her release. Head tipping back, Mikasa moaned out loud, gripping his hair in her fist, moving her hips on his face, the muscles of her abdomen growing tighter every time his tongue flicked against her clit. When Eren managed to trap the bud in his mouth and suck on it, she lost it. He didn’t stop even when she was coming right on top of him, stroking her languidly through it, making the finish even better. 

When Mikasa pushed herself off, and stood up on unsteady knees, her gaze was almost immediately drawn between his legs at his aching member. High time to do something about that. Eren could hear a click before something vibrating pressed against the head of his dick, and with a quick look down he realized that was happening. Mikasa was tormenting him with the Hitachi wand, the same one he used on her uncountable times already, turning his own weapon against him. She was taking it slow, circling around the head, clearly in no rush, while he was wildly straining against the ring that kept him in check. Just as he thought it couldn’t get any worse, a finger pressed against his ass. Mikasa must have lubed it when he wasn’t coherent enough to see, because it slid into him rather easily, and his hips jolted up in reaction to that. 

“Shh, easy, pet. “, he heard her chuckle between his legs, the finger curling inside him. How was he supposed to take it easy when she pushed right against his prostate, making him whine loudly, as the desperation to finally cum was growing at a very high rate. She knew, of course she knew, and she chose to be merciful for once. The wand stopped, and Mikasa put it down, using the newly freed hand to unlock the ring. She kept it on him but loosened it enough to stop the pressure that prevented him from finishing. And then Eren was attacked from all fronts at once. The wand turned on again and pressed right against his balls, massaging them, while she planted a string of kisses starting at the base of his shaft and moving upwards, until she reached the tip and took his member into her mouth, sucking on the most sensitive part. In the same time Mikasa curled her finger again, applying more pressure, and that was more than enough. After a few minutes of this absolute bliss, Eren came with a jerk of his hips, coming inside the wet and warm feeling of her mouth, and she continued through his finish, hand and wand not stopping until he had nothing more to give. Or so he thought. 

“Don’t move. “, she giggled and slid off the bed, only to return moment later without her gloves but with an addition at her waist. Eren could feel the head of the strap-on push against him before sliding in, and Mikasa continued until they were chest to chest, gazing into each other’s eyes. The ends of her raven hair was ticking his face, when she angled her head to whisper in his ear, “I’m going to ruin you. “, before harshly biting his earlobe.

She fulfilled that promise very well, managing to wake his just-orgasmed member back to life, while he completely lost control over anything he said, the feeling of her fucking him combined with the way her hand stroked his oversensitive organ making him go nuts. Mikasa’s movements were powerful, making his body slide on the bed with every thrust, and she watched with a wicked grin as his fingers curled around his bindings helplessly, eyes rolling back. The tip of the toy was hitting exactly the right place, and Eren was losing himself at an alarming rate, which only worsened when Mikasa dragged her nails down his chest and thighs, leaving scratches in her wake. All these sensations combined, it was getting too much to handle, and he was very glad that she didn’t tighten the ring yet, because it allowed him to finish into her hand, hard, chest heaving. But she was far from done. Not even pausing in her movements, she continued plunging into him, his whines falling on deaf ears. The muscles of her abdomen that Eren loved so much were highly useful now, allowing her to keep fucking him, hard, tireless. His body beneath her arched, cursing, begging, sobbing, his hips moving into her palm on their own. Merciless for a change, she ignored his whimpers and continued stimulating him, making him come again and again until he was completely drained dry. Only then Mikasa withdrew out of him and from the bed, but Eren didn’t see any of it, because his eyes were closed, exhaustion taking over. His ass hurt. 

He was woken by a sharp bite of heat on his chest, and when he focused his gaze it was easy enough to find the source. Mikasa was looming over him, candle in hand, and he saw the way she tilted it again to let few fat drops of hot wax drop onto his belly. She did love seeing his abs as he clenched them against the pain. Mikasa loved it so much in fact that she repeated the motion, again, and again, while Eren groaned underneath her. The pain wasn’t that bad, especially compared to his back, but It still made him flex his whole body when she burned him slightly. That went on until he had solid dark red stains all over his stomach and chest, even the sensitive area around his nipples, and she deemed the punishment for almost falling asleep on her as complete. 

“Did I give you the permission to rest? “, she asked, voice hard. He shook his head, not having any apology for his behavior. She snorted. “You are lucky that you took everything I gave you so well tonight, otherwise I would be very…. Displeased. But as it stands now… “ Mikasa extinguished the candle and set it down, climbing on top of him instead. “You were such a wonderful pet. “, he heard her say through the haze of exhaustion, pain and pleasure she put him under, and he realized that she was lying on him now, her body still clad in that tight fitting catsuit, “You are so good to me, puppy. In fact, you worshipped my boots, my feet and even my pussy so marvelously, that I will let you choose what to do next. “ Even in the state he was in, Eren knew exactly what he wanted. 

“May I…may I see your skin, mistress? P-Please. “

“Greedy boy, “, she shook her head, getting off of him, “But you did very well tonight, so you deserve a reward. “ With a tug, she pulled the zipper of her outfit down, shedding it like a second skin, emerging now white and pale instead of black and shiny. For a minute she disappeared, and Eren had a moment to collect his strength. After some time, he could swear that he heard a moan, but before his completely exhausted brain could start worrying she was back, smiling as if nothing has happened. “For this however, “, she said, climbing back on top, “you will have to serve me again. Is that okay, puppy? “

Eren could do it. Seeing Mikasa’s athletic body emerge from the latex, like a beautiful butterfly, seemed to give him a new rush of strength. He nodded at her, and she smiled, her hand once again reaching between his legs, as she readjusted the ring to tighten, vibrations starting once more. Mikasa turned away before sliding down and taking him in between her dripping folds, forcing Eren to grit his teeth, because the tight heat was overwhelming on his incredibly sensitive length. In a position like this, the reverse cowgirl, he couldn’t see her face, or abs, or her breasts with their dark hardened nipples, but he could see the way her back muscles moved, when she propped herself up, the glorious curve of her ass mouth-watering, and pushed back down, quickly finding a tempo she liked. It wasn’t a fair trade, but then again, Eren was in no position to make any kind of demands. 

Mikasa rocked on top of him, losing herself. The feeling of Eren sliding in and out of her was so smooth, her juices combining with his to create a natural lube that was more than enough. And Mikasa knew that this must be close to a torture for him, because his cock was used and abused beyond its limits by now, she did take her time milking him after all, yet her puppy didn’t complain, not even once. The burning sensation inside her grew, and soon she needed something faster, something harder, so she moved her legs, planting her feet and palms on the mattress instead, leaned back, and started pumping with the added strength. 

She was easily strong enough to break a normal bed frame, as they found out in college, so when Eren was getting the furniture for their house, he had a custom one made. He was surely glad for that now, or rather would be glad, if his mind could work correctly. Instead, all he could do was watch her, watch himself disappear into her, watch the way her skin glistened with sweat. There was something…weird between her butt cheeks, like a flash of silver where It shouldn’t be, but at the moment he had more pressing matters at hand. Like the feeling of her cumming around him, the feverish tempo halting as Mikasa circled her hips instead, the waves of orgasm gripping him inside her even tighter, slowing down until she stopped moving, taking a small breather. 

She stood up, Eren slipping out of her with a wet sound, and started undoing the bindings, making him think it was over. That was, until he heard a click and saw that she attached a leash to his collar, pulling him to his feet. Standing face to face now, next to the bed, Eren had to look down a bit, because when Mikasa was without her heels, he was taller. They were both breathing hard, sweaty, the long play taking their toll on them. But Eren’s eyes were still full of the devotion that was there when they started, signaling that he still had a little more left to give. And she demanded it all.

“I want you, “ she started, and her fingers slipped around the ring, unclasping it and putting it away, “to fuck me. In the ass. Think you can handle that? “

It took him a moment before he realized what she was talking about, but when he did he couldn’t say no. After all, he was hers, all of him, and if his mistress wanted to use a part of the body that belonged to her, she had every right to do so. Seeing him agree, even in his exhaustion completely devoted to serving her, Mikasa kissed him, hard and heavy, and they just clung to each other for a few minutes. Eren surrendered, letting her bite into his mouth at her leisure, dominate his mouth as much as she wanted to. Just as suddenly as it started, it finished, and she let go of him, turning around and putting one foot on the bed, bending over. Now he realized what the gleam of silver was. There was a butt-plug inside her, one Mikasa must have placed back when she stripped out of her catsuit, because she definitely didn’t have it before. Eren was surely glad that she prepared herself like this, because it was about to make the process of the requested anal sex so much easier. With careful fingers, he tugged at the plug gently, pulling it out, slow, no rushing, making Mikasa shiver. With a quick look around, he noticed the bottle of lube she used on her finger and strap-on before, and lubed himself up, positioning his tip carefully before sliding in. It was still a tight fit, but he kept pushing, loving the way her muscles tightened as he sank deep inside her. Eren bottomed out, making them moan together, but Mikasa was fucking done with waiting, so she pulled on the leash, hard, which got his face right next to her, his chest pressed into her back. 

“Fuck. Me. Now.“, she ordered. And as the well-trained sub he was, he obeyed.

He fucked her, as per her wish, hard enough for her tastes, slaps of skin against skin audible. Mikasa didn’t let go of the leash the whole time, clearly showing who was in charge here, and honestly speaking Eren didn’t mind it one bit, way too busy with enjoying the way she clenched around him, over and over. They came in unison this time, her anal orgasm hitting her at the same time he couldn’t hold back his own, completely dry, finish because everything he had was completely milked out. It gave the evening the imaginary cherry on top. 

“M-Miki… I’m done… I can’t…“ he panted against her back, his member feeling like it was on fire, overused, ass and back hurting, the use of her name clearly indicating that the playtime was over.

“Y-Yeah... Let’s just take… get cleaned…and…ah fuck... “, she was as done as he was, her chest heaving, hands leaning on the bed for support. All that was in her mind now was a gentle aftercare with a quick clean up and dive beneath the covers, spooning and sleeping till tomorrow noon at the least. Mikasa might not seem like the type, with her cold attitude and goth fashion style, but she did love cuddling, especially after an intensive scene like this, there really was no better way to finish playing. 

 

“Eren? “

“Hmmm? “

“How did you like the outfit? “

“I…I don’t think there’s a word in English that describes it. It was divine, really, you looked like a fucking goddess. “

“The goddess of BDSM. “

“Yep, that’s the one. “, he chuckled, shifting a bit in his position. Eren was lying on his stomach on the cleaned bed, once again with damp hair after the bath they took together, with his domme kneeling next to him and massaging soothing cream into his back. “And her name is Mikasa Ackerman. Not kidding babe, you could easily be a pro dominatrix. “

“Flatterer. I have to admit though, I liked it too, we are definitely using it way more often after tonight. There is something about it that just…“, she shook her head, focusing on the motions of her hands instead. There were times when she wondered just how much pain could Eren take, and this was certainly one of them. The welts crisscrossed one another all over his broad shoulders and down, even covered his sides where she whipped him. That didn’t even take into consideration that when she scraped the wax from him earlier, his front had a map of tiny burns all over combined with the scratches. Honestly speaking, if she saw this type of damage on someone, without knowing how it happened, she would think that he was a victim of some kind of medieval torture. But back in the tub, Eren kissed her passionately and thanked her for everything, saying that once again Mikasa completely blew his mind. 

“Are you really sure that you are okay? You took everything so well, but wasn’t it too much? Your back is just….“

He snorted beneath her. 

“Miki, please, I told you, I’m fine.“

“All right, okay, just making sure. “, she giggled, “I really enjoyed wrecking you like this, the bullwhip is a lot of fun once you get a grip on it. “

“Pervert. “

She looked down at him, arching an eyebrow in her best “Really dude? “, expression, and he grinned as he winked at her over his shoulder, before mouthing a silent “Sorry“ back her way.

“Just promise me that if you have any more dreams like that, you let me know. “

“Of course. “, Eren laid his chin down back on the bed, giving himself over to the gentle grope of her fingers and the way the cream worked to dampen the pain of the lashes, “After all, you make them pale in comparison to the reality, mistress. “

“That’s my boy. “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another 7k words smut. I might have a tiny problem now that I think about it....  
> More importantly, I'd like to thank my heroic beta whose mind will be forever scarred by reading this chapter and helping me shape it.  
> He suffered for my sins.


	42. Jammin'

Connie was not a morning person. He liked to prolong his sleep as much as he could, when his job allowed him to, but there were certain things that woke him immediately. Like a loud crash inside his own house, that made him bolt out of the bed in search for the cause of the commotion. His eyes widened when he arrived at the scene, and saw the wheelchair lying on its side, wheels still turning, and Sasha next to it, on the ground, covered in blood. Rushing to her side, he kneeled next to his fallen girlfriend, heart hammering in his chest. She was sobbing quietly, as the pain must have been overwhelming, her whole body shaking. Already fearing what he will find, he gently rolled her over, gritting his teeth in preparation. 

Oh.

Sasha wasn’t crying, she was laughing. The “blood” was nothing but strawberry jam, as the container was lying on the ground with half of its contents spread across her body. 

“I..I just…“, she couldn’t even speak properly, as she was choking on her own amusement, “I just wanted to get…. Get some jam for my toast and… I took the corner too sharply and crash-landed face first into the floor. “, she looked down, as if noticing the red stains on herself for the first time, “Oh, I’m dirty. “

Her recently very worried boyfriend let out a long sigh, helping her from the ground and back into the wheelchair. Scares like this in the morning weren’t his cup of tea. Sasha didn’t seem phased however, as she wheeled herself over to the bathroom, and soon he could hear running water alongside her humming as she cleaned herself. Just as Connie was about to look for some food to start the day with, the song he was slowly but surely starting to dislike started blasting. 

“Oh, that’s me. “, Sasha rolled out, in just her bra, as her shirt was most damaged by her jam incident, and picked up her phone from the counter, ending the sick solo from her recently favorited music piece. Hint, the world gas appeared in it a lot. “Meals on wheels best delivery driver, Sasha speaking. Hey Hange, what do you need? Hmmm... Okay… Yea sure, sounds great. Okay, see you then! “

Connie looked at her, waiting for an explanation, and she gave him a grin. 

“Seems like I have a meeting later. “, she turned, returning back to her previous task of getting strawberry seeds out of her hair. Not deciding to press the matters any further, Connie turned back to his breakfast, fully intent on enjoying it, until he heard the dreaded melody from the bathroom, with the voice asking if he perhaps likes his car. Dropping his head to his palms, he sighed. God damn it.

 

As facts would have it, Mikasa wasn’t much of an early bird herself. Sure, she could, and did in the past, get up and function, but she simply preferred not to, if given the option. With Levi being rather busy with the gym management, both because of the recent growth in its popularity and the fact that most of the free time he had was spent on the bar renovations, she was pretty much left in charge of her own training. That didn’t mean that she slacked off, but she definitely allowed herself some things that would make her strict trainer slightly outraged. But if she could decide her own workout hours, then why the hell is Eren waking her up?

“C’mon Miki, get up. “, he whispered in her ear, kissing the sensitive skin behind it.

“Nuh-uh. “, she protested, shying away from him. But he was relentless.

“Wakey wakey, “, he pressed on, “Eggs and….ehm. “

When he stuttered, she cracked an eye open, curious to see why.

“Why are you chuckling? “

“Eh, it’s nothing. “, Eren wasn’t sure how Mikasa would react if he finished the line not with the usual “bakey”, but with, in his opinion, much funnier version he saw on the internet, “forced anal pounding”. She would most likely be either offended or take it as an invitation. He shook his head. Who was he kidding, she would definitely take it as an invitation. Unluckily for them both, neither of them had the time for such games this morning. “It’s Monday. “, he pointed out to fill the silence.

“So what? “, she shrugged, not giving up on her sleep that easily. She wasn’t like especially tired, after all the weekend was very relaxing. They spent basically all of the Saturday resting after the eventful Friday night, with Mikasa tracing the marks on his back endlessly, still marveling on the way they stood out against the skin. Later, they just ate some takeout and ended up passing out on the couch, huddled together, while a movie neither of them remembered played in the background. Sunday, she guilt-tripped herself enough to actually do something and went for a run before they left the house to work on the bar for a few hours again. But the fact that she had no reason to be tired didn’t give Eren the right to wake her up this early, did it? Seeing that he wouldn’t give up, she sighed and sat up, stretching, silently cursing anyone or anything that ever came up with the concept of morning in the first place. The pink top with the smiling cartoon cat on front she wore to bed was short, shrank by washing and age, and when she extended her arms above her head, it did nothing to hide her toned stomach. Mikasa noticed the way his eyes darted to her midriff, watching the abs there move, and smirked.

“What are you staring at? “

“Pfff, you of course, what else? “, he gave her a wink, not even trying to deny it, “You look like a snack. “

“Oh really. “¸she smiled lazily, turning her lithe torso to give him a better perspective, “How about a breakfast in bed then? “

Honestly speaking, he wanted nothing more than to take her up on the offer, to press himself against her warm body and forget everything for a time, just as he did last night, but he knew he couldn’t. There were too many obligations, too many people relied on him and his skills. So with a reluctant sigh, Eren pushed himself away, averting his eyes from the beautiful witch that had him completely enthralled. 

“Listen, why don’t you do your morning devil summoning rituals, kneel in the pentagram for a few minutes or something, and meanwhile I’ll go and make us some breakfast. “

She threw a pillow at him for his teasing, but he already managed to duck inside the door and outside the bedroom, laughing on the other side. With a smile of her own, Mikasa got up from the bed and headed for the bathroom to take care of her needs.

She was singing in the shower again, Eren noticed while he moved around in the kitchen. Mikasa had a beautiful voice, but with her shy personality rarely used it to sing, doing so only when she felt completely relaxed. Turning off the TV so he could hear her better, Eren let himself enjoy the melody while his hands worked on their meal. 

When Mikasa emerged, somehow still yawning even after her shower, Eren was already sitting at the table with scrambled eggs and a tablet in hand, reading morning news. She padded over to him on her bare feet and sat down, blinking at her own portion. They ate in silence for a time, but it wasn’t awkward, it just felt peaceful, natural. Neither Eren nor Mikasa were the kind of people that needed to fill every empty space with speaking, if you needed someone like that, you could always ask for Sasha or Hange. He finished his food and put down the tablet, feeling that he somewhat caught up to the events that happened over the weekend, but frowned when his eyes slid over to her. Mikasa didn’t look up when she heard the chair scrape next to her, too focused on devouring everything on her plate, but what did give her a pause was the feeling of something tugging at her damp strands. 

“Babe? What are you doing? “

“Isn’t it obvious? Your hair is all tussled. “

“Erm… okay? “, it wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy the gentle movements of the brush. Eren often did things with her hair, washed it, or even braided it for her if she let it grow out, and she would do the same for him and his long mane. The activity had a ring of intimacy to it that they both savored. But why was he doing it right now, that was a mystery. She always tied her hair back during her trainings, so it wouldn’t get in her face. “I appreciate it, but I wanted to make a ponytail anyway. You do realize that anything you create won’t last through my workout, right? “

“Miki, it’s Monday. “, the brush didn’t stop. 

What did that have to do with anything?

“Oh, I see. “, Eren chuckled above her, “You forgot again, didn’t you? “

“Forgot about what? “

“I’ll let you think really hard for a few minutes, how about that. Sounds like a great memory exercise to me. “, she frowned at him over her shoulder, but he just winked at her, continuing his activity. Mikasa knitted her eyebrows together and racked her brain, trying to remember, to dig the memory out. What was happening today? Right, let’s go over what she knew. Clue number one, Eren woke her early in the morning, and wouldn’t let her go back to sleep, indicating that she had to be somewhere, really soon. Clue number two, he was doing things with her hair, trying to make it look acceptable to the world, which meant that wherever she was going, ponytail was out of the question. Combine the two together, detective Ackerman, and what did she get? She had to go somewhere, early, and look good while being there. Hmm.

“The photoshoot! “, she cried out, slapping her forehead. How could she forget about that?

“Bingo. Genial as always Miki. “, he rewarded her with a kiss to the temple, before finally putting down the brush, satisfied with his work. “You should get dressed, while I appreciate you running around in your shirt and panties very much, I don’t think that the fashion people will share my view. “

Dashing to her bedroom, she opened the wardrobe with a tug, going through the clothes there. About half of it was filled with her regular clothing, including a few dresses she rarely used, quarter was left for her gym wear, and last quarter was occupied by the outfits for their playtime, with the catsuit as the latest addition. Ignoring those, she chewed her bottom lip while looking over her stuff, indecisive as usual when it came to this aspect of life. 

“What do you think I should take? “¸ she directed the question at Eren, who followed her at a leisurely pace, sitting down on the bed to enjoy the show. He had it easy, bastard, all he had to do was pick a shirt and jeans and he was good to go. 

“I think that it doesn’t really matter. They want you to put on the stuff they give you, that’s the whole point. “

“Yea but… what about like the first impression and stuff? She’s a big name in fashion, shouldn’t I at least try to look as good as possible? “

“You made your first impression by winning the tournament. Really Miki, you worry too much. The way Levi says it, Kiyomi was ready to move mountains to snatch you, I kinda doubt that she will care what you wear. “

“I just…Ugh…Can’t you pick something for me? I don’t want to deal with this shit. “

Mikasa could hear the bed creak behind her as Eren stood up, coming next to her and frowning at the clothes. His gaze slid over the lines of fetish gear in the corner, a lopsided grin appearing on his face.

“Ah, the memories. “

She could feel her cheeks redden a bit. 

“How’s your back? “

“I’ll survive. Fuck though, Friday was marvelous, a dream come true.“

“I loved it too. “

“….Right then. “, he cleared his throat, “Let’s stop or we won’t get anywhere. “ digging his hands into her stuff, he pulled out some, looked them over with a critical eye, and either put them back or threw them behind himself on the bed. Mikasa gave up and sat down on the mattress, catching the pieces and waiting until she had a complete set. 

It looked suspiciously like the things she wore in college, Mikasa noted as she stripped and put on the clothes he chose for her, ignoring the Eren in the room. Not like he hasn’t seen her naked million times already. Loose black top, combined with tights of the same color and a short skirt, a dark choker and a few necklaces, massive silver cross the most prominent. It was an old thing, a gift from Levi, and running her fingers over the cold metal always reminded her of her brother. He was cold too.

“So this is like what, a youthful look? “, she asked, but he just shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, I like it, but I’m not sure that Kiyomi will be impressed if I come in dressed as a schoolgirl. “

“Nah, you don’t look like a schoolgirl. “

“Eren, the only difference between this and the things I wore is the absence the rings I had. “, she abandoned those some time back in favor of the engagement ring, but if he didn’t trust her… Just to prove her point, she quickly went through her jewelry and picked them out, slipping them on. “See? Perfect high school-slash-college goth Mikasa cosplay. “

“I’m not sure you can call it cosplaying if you dress as yourself. “, Eren didn’t look discouraged as he looked her over, nodding to himself.“ You do realize that you haven’t shifted your clothing habits at all. Just a few changes and it’s your day to day wear. Or have you stopped giving your daily offerings? Our lord and savior Lucifer won’t be pleased if he sees you in any other color than black and red. “

Eren was still catching his breath, both form laughter and the punch she planted into his stomach, while she looked herself over, deciding that it’s not that bad. After all, she already made her first impression, like Eren said, didn’t she?

“You ready? “, he asked, straightening. Mikasa nodded, walked over to him and kissed him, fully aware of the black lipstick print she left behind. Good luck explaining that at work, jerk.

“Let’s go. “

They parted in front of the house, with Eren getting in his car while Mikasa kicked the motorbike awake, pausing just for a moment to tug the ends of her red scarf into her leather jacket and slip the helmet over her head. 

“Drive safe! “¸ Eren called at her as he went past, turning left at the end of the driveway and disappearing from her field of view. 

It proved to be a very good decision on her part to take the bike, because the city was clogged. Mikasa’s destination was at the heart of it all, and her ride allowed her to nimbly cruise in between, always finding a way. When she arrived in the front and parked, she saw that Levi was already there, smoking a cigarette and frowning at everyone and everything around himself. Her brother wanted to go with her, as her manager, and honestly, she was happy that he did. Because Mikasa might have been experienced in the ring, but this was a whole new world, one that she was admittedly a bit intimidated by. Levi nodded at her as she came close, threw the smoke on the ground and stomped it out, jerking his head in the direction of the massive building.

“Let’s go inside brat, I bet that she’s already bursting with excitement . “

Mikasa took a deep breath.

“Then we better not keep her waiting. “

 

Sasha wheeled herself skillfully through the crowds, looking for the familiar figure. Connie asked if she wanted him to come with, but Sasha declined, saying that she can handle herself. It was a bit frustrating lately, the way he was treating her, even with the knowledge that her boyfriend meant well, but she was crippled, not dead damnit. Finally able to locate her target, she stopped next to Hange, who was still on the watch with two cups of coffee in her hands.

“You are looking too high. “, she whispered creepily from below, and the scientist jumped in surprise. 

“Oh my god, Sasha, you can’t do this. “, Hange would most likely clutch her chest, but her hands were full. “I’m too young to die. “

Giggling, the brown-haired girl relieved the older woman of one of her delicious burdens, taking a sip.

“You want to go sit down somewhere? I’m all good, “she patted the side of her wheelchair, “but you are standing. “

“Actually…. Not really. “, Hange looked left and right with suspicious eyes, before bowing a bit to be closer to her friend. “Listen, I will keep this as short as possible, but I have a certain business proposition for you. “

“What is it? “

“Let’s say that the lab I work in has a few…side projects. And I’m kinda looking for test subjects. “

“And where do I come in? I know nothing about science. “

“No, no, its not about that. It’s just... “, she sighed, “Look, ill try to explain it. Alcohol business is a massive beast, you do understand that, and there are thousands of projects tied to that. And some of ours have reached a state where we need to test them on someone, and the more the better because of the variety and stuff…. You see where I’m going with this? “

“Wait…Hange….are you suggesting that I poison our customers? Is that even legal?“

“No! Of course not! It’s not like the stuff I would try there would be dangerous, I’m not that disconnected from the real world. Worst that could happen would be some headaches, maybe one or two people throwing up, but nothing serious. “

Sasha didn’t know what to think to be honest. Was this really happening?

“People throw up in bars anyway, and have headaches in the morning when they go overboard, so what’s the harm? And all the things would be free for you, of course, I’ll only sit at the bar and note down how the test subjects behave, that’s all. “

Nah, Sasha didn’t care about money, well, not that much, but this idea…… It could be fun! And fun was Sasha’s kryptonite. 

“I won’t lie to our customers and slip stuff in their drinks. “, she said, looking up at the scientist, “But I’m not against the idea. What if…what If we had a special part of the menu, with warning and stuff, and if they would be willing, they could order a shot spiked with one of your creations. How does that sound? “

“Well, it’s not ideal, since the subjects would know about the substances entering their organism, but I would be willing to go for it. “

“All right, okay, sounds good. First of all though, I still have to finish renovating the bar in the first place. No one will test any drinks in a construction site. “

“About that, “, Hange smiled, “since your inn will be a testing site of sorts, I’m going to redirect some funding our lab got your way. “, she shrugged, “I was originally meaning to use that money as a bait for you to agree but seems like I don’t have to do that anymore. “

Negotiating deals all on my own, Sasha thought as she said goodbye to Hange and started finding her way back home, pride swelling in her chest. Pretty good for a day that began by falling from her wheelchair and drenching herself in jam. Head held high, she rode victoriously to the sunset.

Imaginative. Because it was morning. The sun was shining brightly, not setting. 

Whatever.


	43. Prequel to a photoshoot

It was…massive. That was the easiest way to describe it. The lobby was bigger than any Mikasa has seen in her life, and luxurious to boot. Even the interior of Erwin’s hospital, which was considered rich, paled in comparison to this. 

“Don’t stare. “, Levi whispered her way, hiding his own nervousness. For all his bravado and self-assurance, he also felt that he didn’t belong here. Not at all. But looking at his sister, who seemed even more lost than he was, her goth clothing perhaps never looking more out of place than now, he felt his protective instincts kick in. Levi steeled himself and walked over to the receptionist desk, hoping to god that his stride didn’t look too stiff.

The woman sitting behind it, a redhead in a light dress, looked up from her computer with a practiced smile. 

“Welcome to Hizuru Ltd., where we make your dreams a reality. What can I do for you? “

“Yea, hi. Name’s Levi Ackerman, and this, “, he gestured towards Mikasa, who gave the woman an awkward wave, while doing her best to hide as much of her face as possible behind her red scarf, “is my sister, Mikasa. We should have an appointment with Kiyomi Azumabito. “

Upon hearing the name of the whole company’s owner, she narrowed her eyes a bit, apparently not really buying into Levi’s story, but made the call to check anyway. The eyes that she narrowed just a moment ago widened immediately, as she found out that he was actually telling the truth, and very politely asked him to sit down and wait for someone to fetch them. The massive leather covered couches were way more comfortable than anything Levi had at home, so he gladly sat his ass on one corner while Mikasa took the other one, knees drawn together as she was still very, very nervous. On the other hand, Levi was starting to feel a little bit more like himself again, and to pass the time he grabbed a magazine from the table and started reading. Well, reading was a bit of an overstatement, considering that most of the space was taken up by photographs, as it was, to surprise of exactly no one, about fashion. Gliding his eyes over the models, he had really a hard time imagining his sister on the pages instead. Not because of the way she looked, because Mikasa was beautiful and he was ready to fight anyone who would disagree, not that he ever met someone who would, but because the girls just looked so….sure of themselves. Smiling into the camera, so relaxed, used to this kind of work. And when Levi looked at his sister from the corner of his eye, he could see that she seemed ready to chew on her black fingernails, most likely having the scarf wrapped around her mouth to prevent that from happening.

“Easy kid. If we don’t like it, we walk. Okay? “

She nodded at him. 

“Mr. Ackerman? “, a voice cut into his thoughts, making him look up. Yelena was standing there, in a perfectly fitted black suit, an expression on her face showing as much emotion as a blank slate. “Please follow me. “, was all she said and turned around, walking away at a brisk pace. Levi and Mikasa exchanged a look before following, the nervousness he managed to push down once again rearing its ugly head. They walked through a maze of corridors, rather sure that if it wasn’t for their silent guide, they could get lost in it forever, until the party reached a massive door, leading into an even more massive office. Kiyomi was sitting behind a desk, which was also massive, like seriously was the woman compensating for something? When she saw who entered, her face lit up, and she jumped out of the chair with an energy that defied her age.

“Oh my god, you came! My princess of the ring! “ Completely ignoring Levi and his outstretched hand, she moved past him to squeeze Mikasa into a hug, pulling back to let her eyes wander all over her clothes and face. “You look amazing! Goth! A style that died somewhere around ten years back, so bold! “ Finally letting go of her victim, she energetically shook Levi’s hand, also saying that he looks great for his age. What was that supposed to mean?

But before he could ask, Kiyomi was already leading Mikasa away, talking to her assistant at the same time. “What room did we book? Five? Amazing! And where’s the old fart? What do you mean, he didn’t come in yet. No, I don’t care, call him, right now! Yes Yelena, right now! “ This went on until they reached the studio, and the old woman pushed the door open, revealing a lot of open space and clothing racks full of various pieces. 

“Honey, I’m so sorry, but the photographer isn’t here yet. Would you be so incredibly kind and wait for him? You would? Oh my god, you are such a sweetie. “ 

Completely overrun, Mikasa sat down, very thankful that she has something solid underneath for a minute, while Kiyomi turned and her hungry gaze landed on Levi. 

“Mr. Ackerman…. Would you come with me, please? “, not even waiting for an answer, she grabbed his arm and half-dragged him away, followed by stoic Yelena, which left Mikasa all alone in the big room, with no idea what to do now. She sighed. What did she get in this time. 

 

Mikasa had no idea how long she had to wait, but in the end the door opened again, letting in a wiry man. 

“Mikasa Ackerman I presume? “, he asked, a broad smile on his face.

“Uhm…yes? Can I help you? “

“I believe that I will be the one helping you. “, he said, closing the distance and extending his hand, “My name is Dot Pixis, and I will be your photographer. “

Oh. Not that she had any idea about how he should look like, but…this? Honestly speaking, Pixis was old. Very old, wrinkled, with a bald head and a very impressive grey moustache under his nose. He must have noticed her hesitation, because he smiled at her reassuringly. 

“I know, I know, you probably expected someone much younger and prettier, am I right? “, he winked at her, “But I assure you that I know what I’m doing. After all, I have over thirty years of experience under my belt. May I sit? “

“O-Of course. “

“Why thank you. “, he sat down, groaning as he stretched his legs. “Ah yes, this is much better. My joints are asking for attention lately, and I’ve been hiking yesterday so they are extra loud. Now then. I can see that you are still far from sold, but that’s completely fine. This is your first time doing any of this, correct? “

“Y-Yes. Total newbie here. “

“That’s great, first times are always so great. Are you excited? “

“More like nervous. “

“Oh I see. Well, that’s fine too. How about we chat for a bit? “

“Uhm, aren’t we supposed to like…do a photoshoot…stuff? “

“My dear, I worked for Kiyomi for the last twenty years. She has complete trust in me and knows that I will always deliver if she will let me do thing my way. And well, this is my way. See here, “, he stood up, walking over to the middle of the room where he turned back towards her and spread his arms, “I don’t just want to take pictures of you. I want to create art! Me and you, we can do things that will be remembered! “

“Ehm…okay? “

“Great! “, he came back and sat down again, satisfied with getting his point across, “So, Mikasa… oh can I call you Mikasa? “

“Sure…“

“Thank you. You can call me Dot, Pixis, or creepy old man, you choose. Back to my original point, I want to create something amazing when we work together, and to do that, we need to have a mutual trust to a degree. For starters, I would like to introduce myself, and then you can do the same, so we can get to know each other better. Sounds good? “

“Yeah, that’s a good plan. “

“So, my name is Dot Pixis, as I already said, and I work as a photographer. I’m married, have two kids and a grandkid with another on the way. In my spare time I hike, swim, and overall just do activities that get my old bones squeaking. Now, with that out of the way, I’ll tell you a bit about my history. You have to stop me if I get too boring though, I do love talking about myself. “

Seeing Mikasa nod, he continued.

“I got into this job for the most boring reason of them all. I wanted to be around beautiful women. No, don’t laugh, I’m serious! You see, as a teenager I was rather scrawny, and not very interesting, so the prettier girls in my school never gave me a second glance. One day, as I was reading through a fashion magazine, yes, I did that as a kid, I got this idea. Seeing all those models in their perfect dresses, smiling, I realized one thing. There must be someone, man or woman, holding the camera, taking all of these. And I came to a conclusion that I want to be that person, so I started practicing. If you would think that I was some kind of a prophet, with talent straight from god, you would be very wrong. I was terrible. But my dream just kept me going, no matter how many times I was knocked down, told that I suck, and that I will never get anywhere with this. I kept pushing, making myself better, learning from my mistakes, and in the end, I succeeded! I even met my wife on the job, she was an assistant to one of the designers. In the end, Kiyomi caught wind of me, and we started working together, and well, here I am. That about covers the great and interesting history that is the life of Dot Pixis. “

Seeing that he fell silent with an expectant look on his face, Mikasa realized that now was most likely her turn. She swallowed.

“Right…So….Erm….“

“Mikasa, relax, please. This is no interrogation, its just us, talking. I’ll be honest, I did a little background check on you before coming here today, yes, even an old fart like me knowns how to use Google, so let me start you up with the things I already know, okay? I found the police report from the day your parents were murdered, my condolences, but after that, not much. Some fight results, a few photographs, and recently the interview, but that about covers it. Well, if I ignore the things I found on the forums. “

Mikasa furrowed her brows. “What things? “

“Erm, you see…“¸ Pixis scratched the back of his head, “Let’s say that you are quite popular in certain places, and there are some threads about you, with the juiciest one having a long string of different users saying how much they would love if you sat on their face. “

“What?! “

“Nothing to worry about dear, its just talk. Now, you good to go? “

“Okay… okay. “, she took a deep breath, “My name is Mikasa Ackerman, I’m a professional MMA fighter, who recently got roped into this modeling job while having no idea what to do. I’m engaged, no kids yet, and in my free time I like to…well... work out, watch movies, or just relax with my partner. “

“I do remember reading about that in the latest interview, “, said Pixis, “You had a bit of a falling out, right? “, he pointed at the ring on her finger, “Everything okay now? “

“Yes, we made up. It was stupid really. “

“No need to look so embarrassed dear, a lot of relationships crash and burn for very basic reasons. I’m glad that you worked it out. “

And when he smiled at her, Mikasa found herself smiling back. The nervousness she felt was gone, as Pixis simply radiated an aura of calm and friendliness. There was no need to be afraid, so what that she’s completely new to this. He was here to help her, guide her.

“Now, Mikasa, I want you to realize that while I’m the photographer here, you are the one in charge of this. We will work on your conditions, in your own tempo, no rushing, no pressure. If you want, we can just call it a day right here and now and schedule a new day for the photoshoot itself. “

But Mikasa didn’t want to stop. Not right now, when she was feeling relaxed. So she shook her head. 

“I think we should start right now, if that’s okay with you. “

“Everything is okay with me, dear girl. Well If you are good to go….“, he stood up, grinning. “Let’s create art! “

 

“Yelena, we don’t have anyone for the summer collection, right? “

“No, boss. “

“So what about this guy then? “

Levi was feeling totally out of place now. Never mind that he was standing in a middle of a studio, identical to the one they left Mikasa in, he was also stripped to the waist and had two women looking at him like he was cattle, to be prized and sold at the highest bid. 

“Excuse me, but what the fuck are you talking about? “

They ignored him.

“I don’t know, boss, isn’t he a little…short? “

“Oh don’t be so petty Yelena. He’s exactly the type younger generation have wet dreams about. Dark, mysterious, edgy…Great body too. It doesn’t matter that he’s a bit of a midget, with the right light….Hmmm…“

“Well, if you are sure boss. “

“I am! Now let’s call…“

“Wait a fucking second! “, Levi growled, finally making them look at him. “What the fuck is happening? “

“See the language Yelena? It’s perfect, he’s so angry at everything, like an imp or something. We gotta get someone really good at this one. “

“Fuck…“

“Mr. Ackerman, “, she finally addressed him directly, “How would you like to also model for my company, just like your sister? It’s not like she needs help, and Dot is always taking his time, so since you are here already, what’s the harm, right? You will also be generously compensated for your time. “

Well, if she put it like that….

“I guess…“

“Amazing! Please wait while I send someone to take care of you. “, the door closed, leaving him alone but he could hear Kiyomi’s loud voice as she was walking away, Yelena’s quiet answers muffled by the distance.

“We need our best….No, not her…How about….No, are you stupid?...Petra! I want Petra on this….So what that she has a day off. Call her. Now! “

Levi froze. It couldn’t be…. Petra? There was no way. That would be way too big of a coincidence. 

No way in hell.

 

Eren was humming to himself, feeling refreshed by the shower as he stood by his locker and pulled out his clothes, ready to shed the towel around his waist and dress properly. The surgery was a success, everything seemed great today, and he found himself wondering how Mikasa is doing. A sound behind him made him turn his head, but he saw that it was Onya, coming to take a shower himself. He nodded at the man and turned his back, but as soon as he did his friend gasped.

“Eren! What the hell happened to you?! “

“What? “

Looking at Onya, he could see that he was staring at Eren’s back, eyes wide, mouth dropped open. What was so weird about his back? But then he realized what he saw, and all the color drained from his face. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it was, with the red welts disappearing with the help of the cream, but some parts of his skin where Mikasa really let herself go colored to black and blue over the weekend, standing out against the white. 

“I…I can explain! “

“Who did this to you? Were you assaulted? Mugged? Talk to me, please. “

“It’s nothing, really. I….Mikasa did it. “

“What? Your girlfriend? Is she abusing you? “

“No, nothing like that… I asked her to do it. “

Onya stared at him for a few seconds before finally realizing what Eren was talking about, realization dawning on his face. 

“I see…“

There was an awkward silence. Eren scratched the back of his neck while Onya dropped his gaze at his hands, not really knowing what to say.

“Can I… ask you something Eren? “

“Sure. “

“Is she actually your girlfriend then? Or are you just like her…whipping boy? “

“She’s my fiancé, dude, I love her. It’s just that sometimes she does things like this to me, sometimes I do it to her. You understand? “

“I believe I do. And I’m happy for you! “

“Happy? “

“Why yes, of course. “, Onya looked back up, a bright smile shining on his face this time around, “While I’m not into this thing myself, perhaps it reminds me too much of my ancestors at plantations, I’m very glad that you two understand each other. You see Eren, you keep saying that I’m giving the sexual aspect of a relationship too much of a credit, but I think that you are giving it too little instead. “ 

He sat down on the bench, and Eren followed suit, ready for a story time that was sure to follow.

“I had a friend, who liked…similar things as you, back at the hospital I worked at before coming here. But unlike you, he never confessed to his wife, thinking that she will think of him as a pervert or something. So he pushed it deep down, but in the end, he just couldn’t hold himself back. My friend found a professional, of sorts, and took care of his problem with her, but in the end his wife found out, and it wasn’t pretty. “, he shook his head, “Back when I was leaving they were going through with the divorce. “

“That’s kinda sad. “

“Indeed. Worst of all, she didn’t mind the kink he had, but she couldn’t stomach that he cheated on her. As I said, I’m very happy that you and Mikasa can do those things together. “

“I…Thanks? I guess? “

“No need to worry my friend, your secret is safe with me. “ he winked at Eren before moving past and going to the showers. 

So much for a perfect day.


	44. Wind's howling

“No….no, I’m still not feeling it. Take it off. “

“You can’t be serious. “

“Oh but I very much am. “

The make-up lady was patient, very patient in fact, but even she had limits. With an expression of total anguish, she turned towards the bald photographer.

“Dot. For god’s sake, we’ve been sitting here for the last hour trying different things, and you are still not satisfied. What the hell do you want? “

“I… don’t know! But not this, that’s for sure. “, he gave the woman a very friendly smile. “I’m sorry, I really am, but I can’t work unless It’s perfect. “

She groaned, turning towards Mikasa who was perched on the stool and started dabbing her face with a wet cotton pad, removing the make-up she placed there a mere minutes ago. Behind her, Pixis started pacing around the room, muttering to himself.

“I’m sorry I’m taking so much of your time. “, Mikasa whispered, feeling the woman’s pain.

“Oh don’t be. “, she smiled at her, “You are an amazing model dear, not a word of protest or discomfort, I wish I could work with you every day. Dot….Dot is always like this. “, with a practiced motion, she wiped the eyeliner away with one sweep, “This is my job after all. “

“Mikasa, tell me, when you train, you don’t wear anything right? “, that was Pixis asking, coming close after he finished his round around the studio.

“W-What? Of course I’m wearing clothes! “

“Oh, no, not like that. “, he grinned when he saw her blush furiously, “I mean make-up. You don’t have any when you work out right? “

“Well, of course not. Why would I? “

He snapped his fingers.

“That’s it. We are going to make the shoot without any make-up. “

The make-up artist was just about done.

“Pixis…“

“No, no, it makes perfect sense! This is a gym clothes presentation, and I aim to make it as realistic as possible! “

Model with a naked face. You know what? Fine. The girl had a really pretty complexion anyway, nicely pale skin which complimented her black hair. The artist gave up. With a last shrug, she carefully wiped everything from Mikasa’s face, leaving it completely bare, before standing up and going to sit by the door with an expression of total apathy. The model-in-making straightened herself, looking around the room. It was arranged to look a little bit like the gym, with Dot having a few men drag in actual machines. There was a punching bag, bench-press, and a few more, but somehow, she didn’t feel right at home. Maybe because of the lights everywhere and the agitated photographer running around. 

“How do you want me? “, she asked, kinda eager to be done with this.

Upon hearing the slight hitch in her voice, he stopped and walked over to her, putting a supportive hand on her shoulder.

“You are still nervous, aren’t you? “

“Yes…“

“Look, Mikasa, I know that’s it’s rather cliché to say, but just be yourself. “

“But I just…“, she hugged herself, the earlier boldness she felt completely gone by now, “I don’t feel like a model. “

“Don’t feel like a model? “, he repeated after her, shaking his head, “And how is a model supposed to look like? You have a body to die for, my dear, and it’s clear to see that this, “, he gestured around himself, pointing at the gym machines, “is what you are good at, it’s something you understand. So use it. The muscles you have, don’t hide them, show them! Be proud of your work! Look, If I wanted a generic blond woman, I could pick one out of the hundreds that apply here. But those, they wouldn’t fit like you do, you are a natural for this kind of photoshoot. So please, as I said, just act like you normally do when you work out, and ill snap a few photos. That’s it. “

Following his advice, Mikasa took a deep breath and walked over to the punching bag, hitting it a few times experimentally. The clothes she had on now were similar to her normal gym wear, tight cropped top and shorts, not hindering her movements at all. And as she gave in to the routine, everything, the lights, Pixis, all of the studio simply faded into the background. Why did it matter where she was? Here, there’s a bag, punch it. Mikasa was just getting warmed up when a hand fell on her shoulder, and after she turned she could see that it was the photographer, eyes shining. 

“That was amazing! The expression of perfect focus! The grace! The strength! “

“Ehm… Why did you stop me then? “

“Well, “¸ he pointed at her chest, “we need you to change clothes, I got this set covered. “

This went on for some time, with Mikasa being left to her own devices, Dot only chiming in when he needed her to dress in something different. It was…relaxing after all. There really was no pressure from anyone, just a few quick easy requests from time to time, that was it. And Mikasa, despite her expectations, found herself enjoying this. When Pixis put down the camera, calling it a day she wasn’t even winded, but looking outside she could see that the sky darkened significantly. And a new thought struck her. 

Where the hell was Levi?

 

“It was…uhm…nice working with you…Petra. “

“Same. Be seeing you. “

And with that Petra, who he hasn’t seen since college, turned her back and left. Once he was alone, he leaned back against a wall, feeling his heart hammering in his chest. Fuck, this so was awkward. Levi really wished that he could have a cigarette right now, but there was some bullshit rule about no smoking inside and shit, so he ran a palm over his face instead. When she came through the door for the first time, they both froze. It was really her. He knew Petra back in college, she was his…friend? Sometimes he liked to think that they were about to be more. But then the stuff with Mikasa happened, Levi had to drop out, and he hasn’t seen her since. He couldn’t say anything, he just stared at her, unable to conjure any two words together. In the end, it was her who managed to move first, coming close with an outstretched hand.

“Hello, my name is Petra Ral, I’ll be your photographer today. Can we start? “

Taken back, he shook her hand, thoughts racking in his brain. Did she forget him? But if she did, why did she freeze when she came in? It made no sense. But Petra was already setting up her machine, completely ignoring him. For some reason, she just acted like she didn’t know him, and he, having no idea what to do, went along with it. She took the photos with an efficiency of a professional, talking to her model only when she had to, the camera in her hand snapping away. Levi followed every instruction she gave him as quickly as he could, and they proceeded swiftly, until she straightened and announced that they are done. And left, without another word. Fuck. To add insult to injury, he could see Mikasa approaching with some old man in tow, apparently deep in a conversation. 

“…oh don’t be so modest, your ass is going to make that brand of yoga pants a best seller. And we haven’t even done the bikini yet! That reminds me, is there something else we could use? “, he was just asking.

“Well, I ride a bike…“

“Amazing! We could definitely use a new face for biker stuff, and you would look gorgeous in leather! I’ll put that on a table for Kiyomi. How about….“

But Levi just wanted to be fucking gone, the unexpected meeting turning his world upside down.

“Hey brat, you done? Can we go? “, he stepped in, rather rudely interrupting Pixis.

“Yea… Sure, ehm…“, she turned back towards Dot, “Thanks for everything, today was a lot of fun. “

Ignoring her rude midget of a brother, he smiled at her. 

“Of course, anytime. I’ll be in touch! “

With that, they parted, with him going back to the studio while Mikasa came to stand next to Levi.

“What’s eating you? “, she asked, frowning.

“Nothing. Let’s just fucking bail. “, he walked away at a brisk pace, heading towards the exit. They couldn’t get out of this fucking building fast enough.

 

“Just act normal, please. “

“Sure, let us all forget that she broke your heart and…“

“She didn’t break anything, okay? We just ended it, it happens. “

Sasha groaned, frowning at Armin who was so pale that she wondered if there is any blood left in his face.

“I’m still going to spit in her drink though. “

“Please don’t. “

“I just don’t understand! Why would you invite her here? “

“I just…“, honestly speaking, Armin had no idea what made him call Annie and ask her if she would come to the bar. Desperation? Alcohol? Probably both. “She said that we can still be friends so…. Please? For me? “

“Fine! But you owe us. “

“Thanks Sasha, you are a doll. “, he leaned down, wrapping her in an awkward hug, but that didn’t stop her from frowning. Honestly speaking, she was very, very far from forgiving Annie, but if Armin begged them to try and do their best to act friendly towards her…. Damnit, she liked the guy too much.

It didn’t take Annie long to arrive, fidgeting with her buttons on the way in, clearly also not very comfortable. But well, promise is a promise. So Sasha wheeled herself over to her, pushing her dislike down and chattering away. With the help of drinks and the fact that she came here to work, not just stand around, the awkwardness slowly melted. It wasn’t gone, but it grew a tiny bit smaller, as everyone just sort of accepted her being there. It was surely handy that Annie was rather knowledgeable about this kind of work, filling in for Carla who had some charity stuff to do today and couldn’t be at the bar. With Eren at work and Mikasa and Levi doing god knows what for the fashion mogul, it left just Connie, Sasha, Jean, Armin and now Annie to move the work forward, even by a tiny bit. 

With the day progressing, Jean was the first one to leave, saying that he has some errands to run, but both Armin and Annie continued until the sky went dark and evening came. Seeing them together, watching the teamwork they had, Sasha wondered what the hell happened between them that made them end their relationship. They just looked so good, managing to relax in each other’s presence even with the elephant in the room, making Sasha question if they truly moved past, or if they were only very good at pretending. 

“I appreciate all that you did, but we are about to close. So unless you wanna sleep here, you should head out. “, she said, wheeling herself over to the pair. 

“Oh, right. Erm…“, Armin scratched the back of his head while Annie played with the hammer in her lap, “We’ll be right out. “

Once outside the bar however, Armin realized that he didn’t want to part himself from Annie, not yet. Her presence just warmed him, inside out, something no one else managed to do. 

“Hey, want me to show you something? “, he asked, doing his best to smile.

She nodded. And his heart fluttered.

It took them about half an hour before they reached their destination, a rooftop of one of the buildings around. 

“Wow, the view is….breathtaking….“¸ she said, looking over the darkened city, with stars shining over their heads. 

“We used to come here with Eren, back when we wanted a break from the world. It’s pretty relaxing wouldn’t you say? “

“Yeah….“, she leaned on the railing, and after gathering his courage, Armin followed, coming to stand next to her. Together they enjoyed the way the city was slowly lighting up with the thousands of little artificial suns. But then, then Armin looked left, and she looked right, and they saw something shining even brighter than all of those combined. When they kissed, everything, all the pain and suffering he went through was nothing compared to this feeling, because now, he felt that he matters again, that the future is bright and….

Something hard pushed against his chest. Armin staggered and fell backwards, landing on the hard ground and looking up at Annie, who was covering her mouth with one hand while staring angrily at him.

“W-What’s wrong? Annie? What…“

“Shut the fuck up. “

He had no idea what to say. Just a second ago, she was kissing him back as much as he was, and now there were tears of anger in the corners of her eyes, which she promptly blinked away. She was hurting, he could tell, he had to help her, do something…

“Annie…“

“I said, shut. The fuck. Up. “

She took a deep breath.

“I thought I can do this, but I can’t. We…can’t be friends, you understand? Armin, I wasted enough of my time on you, I don’t want to see you ever again. Don’t write. Don’t call. Don’t ever contact me again. We are done. “

Shaking her head, she took a few steps backwards before turning and running down the steps, disappearing from his view. 

 

“Your phone is ringing brat. “

“I know. “, Mikasa glared at Levi for a second before picking up, not even looking who the caller was. “Can I help you? “

“Mikasa….Hey….“

She frowned. It was Armin, but he sounded so….down? “

“Hey Ar, what’s up? “

“Can we, uhm, talk? In person? “

“Sure thing, where you at? “

She waved at Levi who drove past her and into the city, leaving her alone.

“Do you remember the old roof where me and Eren used to come. We took you too after you guys started dating. “

“Sure, I’ll be there soon. “

Mikasa didn’t really question why he was up there. Armin was a free soul, perhaps he just needed a breath of fresh air. Taking a moment to make sure the helmet was secure on her head, Mikasa started up the engine and navigated the motorbike on the road and towards the place where her friend was. But when she parked and walked up the familiar steps, her heart jumped into her throat.

“Armin! Why are you… Armin why are you standing there? “

He turned back from the edge, behind the railing, where he was looking down into the street below, and smiled weakly. 

“Hey Mikasa. You came. “

“Of course I did. Why don’t you come here so we can talk? “

But when she took a step forward he took one backwards, shaking his head. He was literally one more step away from the fall.

“No, no talking, not anymore. “

Seeing him balance on the rim of the roof, she stopped, eyes wide. What was he doing?

“Armin, please, step away from the edge. You don’t want to fall, do you? “

He barked out a laugh.

“What if I do? “

“Don’t talk like that. Please, just tell me, what’s happening? “

“It’s just… I realized something. “, he turned away from her back towards the city, watching the lights. “I’m a leech. “

“What? “

“A parasite. I’m not even a human being. Back when I was kid, I was leeching on Eren, but then he found you, and suddenly I had no host, no one to sap life from. “

“Nonsense, you are Eren’s friend not some parasite. “

“Oh please, who would want to be my friend? I’m nothing. “

“That’s not true. “

“Isn’t it? “, he barked out a laugh, “ You are an amazing fighter, now even a model, Eren is a prodigy surgeon. What am I then? Writer? We both know the best use for anything I write would be if people used the paper to wipe their asses. Oh, you are biased, because you know me, but we both can agree that its crap. And other than that, what do I have? Nothing. “

“What about the bar? The work you do here? “

“Sasha took me on only because she felt sorry for me, Connie was more than enough for her. “, he shook his head, “I’m nothing. I do nothing, just steal time from other people. I’m trash. “

Mikasa was slowly but surely uncovering the truth. There was only one person who could get Armin, who was otherwise always so happy and full of life, so down.

“This is about Annie, isn’t it? “

“No, this is about me. I can’t blame her that she realized the truth sooner than I did and understood that spending time with me is a waste. You should do the same. “

Mikasa could feel her fists balling. She had no idea what that bitch did, but this was way too far. Way too fucking far. 

“Armin listen to me, you are a great guy and an amazing friend, to me, to Eren, to Connie and Sasha, hell, even my brother likes you. Uncountable times you managed to cheer us up when we felt down, helped us in need, or just was there for us when we needed someone to talk to. And we both know you are a great writer, so cut that crap. Please, don’t let Annie do this to you, come here, and let’s talk. “

The wind was howling around them.

“Looks like rain. “, he said, not looking at her, still watching the city. 

Armin took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, Mikasa. “

And he stepped forward.


	45. Heavy rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like cliffhangers.  
> Do you like cliffhangers?
> 
> Enjoy!

Mikasa remembered the first time she saw Armin, coming towards her with that friendly smile, back at the college party. In fact, he was the one who even convinced her to go and talk to Eren in the first place, if it wasn’t for him, the relationship she treasured so dearly might never have happened. And that was far from everything. So many times he helped either of them from a tight spot, both in school or in life, he was the lighthouse they could always turn to when the rough waters of their early relationship proved to be too much to handle and they needed a break. 

And now, the steady flame, flickered.

Every muscle in Mikasa’s body exploded with energy. She moved this fast only once in her life before, back when Eren got shot at and she took down the assailant. The distance to the edge of the roof wasn’t that long, but she started moving only when Armin did the last fatal step, crossing the distance between himself and the endless nothingness. She extended her arm, reaching out for him, but her fingers only brushed the end of his sleeve as the fabric slid between them. And he was falling. 

No.

With a scream, she tried again, and this time got a solid grasp, catching, preventing him from doing the biggest mistake of his life. Pulling hard, she reeled him in, her already very impressive strength enhanced with the terror she felt, easily getting his slim body over the railing and hugged him close, falling to her knees. Mikasa clutched to him, caging Armin in with her arms. He was alive. She could feel his heart beating beneath her hands, the warmth of his body pressed into her chest. Armin was shaking with silent sobs, repeating “I’m sorry.”, over and over again. After a while, when he finally stopped shivering and her heart stopped hammering inside her chest, she let go, standing up and pulling him along.

“Don’t ever do this again. “¸ she said, still gripping his shoulder, partly from the fear that he is going to do something very dumb, partly because she just couldn’t get enough of the feeling of the fact that he was still among the living.

“You should have let me fall. “

Lacking the words to reply, she shook him gently, pressing him tight against herself. 

“Armin don’t say that. I don’t know what I would do without you. What would Eren do without you… Please…“

He took a shuddering breath.

“I’m noth-…“

“No, not this shit again. You are my best friend, are my feelings so irrelevant to you? Don’t you care about me? “

“I-I do care about you, but…“

“No buts, please. Just promise me you won’t try anything like this again. For me, for Eren, for all your friends. We love you. “

“…Okay. “, he chuckled nervously, “ Can’t say I liked the view from up there. “

He wasn’t fine, Mikasa could tell. The hurt was still there, tearing him apart. For now, this was the most she could do, to convince him that he matters, to give him a reason to go on. But underneath the relief she felt, there was another emotion, lurking, slowly but surely gathering strength. Hate. Rage. Everything negative she felt towards Annie now multiplied hundred, no, thousand-fold, bubbling beneath the surface. Forcing a smile on her face, she pulled back.

“So, you going to be okay now? No more roof jumping? “

He laughed.

“No, no more of that. I’ll be fine…. I guess, I just need to go home and…think. “

Together they walked down the stairs, but when Mikasa offered Armin a ride home, he declined.

“I want to walk, clear my head. “

“You sure? It looks like the weather isn’t going to be very friendly. “¸ she remarked, pointing at the darkened sky above them.

“A little water won’t hurt me, might even help in cooling me down. Thanks Mikasa…, see you. “

With a last nod, they parted, with Armin walking away while Mikasa hid her face behind the helmet. Now when he couldn’t see her, the smile dissolved into an expression of pure concertation. She couldn’t let her get away with this, there was just no way. But where would Annie be? Oh, that’s right, there’s a park not far from here, Armin told her that they used to go there together. Mikasa kicked her bike awake, picking up speed in the direction of her prey. Now, there was no more room for friendliness inside her. She was on the hunt. 

 

The sky was dark above Annie’s head, making her think that she will have to leave soon to avoid getting rained on. Kicking another rock, she glared at the benches and patches of grass, filled with memories of him. Now the most recent she had was the look he had on his face when she knocked him down on the roof. She didn’t want to, really, but…she couldn’t just bear being near him, the lure was too strong. And her father said that there is no place in her life for a relationship. Not now, when her training must be the most intense. Suddenly there was a sound of creaking tires and a motorbike stopped right in the middle of the park, a figure getting off and walking right towards her. Annie frowned. Who the hell was that? The person angrily tore off her helmet, revealing black strands of hair and a pale face with a thin scar underneath slanted eyes. 

“Mikasa? What…“

“Shut up bitch. “

Closing the remaining distance between them, Mikasa shrugged off her leather biker jacket, the branches crunching underneath her combat boots. She took a wide stance and raised her fists, taking a basic fighting position. 

“C’mon. “, she said, “this is what you wanted, back in the ring, no? A fight. No referee, no one to stop us, no one to control us. Give me all you got, because I won’t hold back. At all. “

Faced with this open anger in Mikasa’s voice, Annie took a step back, not sure what this was about. Seeing her stumble, a very mocking smile cut across the other woman’s lips.

“What? Too scared to fight me when I’m not tired? What are you, chicken? You want to get to the top? “, she shook her head, “You are nothing, not even worth my attention, run back to daddy. “ 

This hit home. After all, Mikasa was right, she did want this, a chance to prove herself. With a snarl of her own, Annie tore off her jacket and also took a fighting stance, staring down her opponent. Above them, the thunder rumbled, and the sky broke open, drenching them in a sudden downpour. 

That was the go sign. 

They clashed, wild and feral, abandoning the usual wariness that guided their battles. Mikasa’s fist connected with Annie’s stomach with a smack, knocking the air out of her lungs, the hit quickly followed by another one to her ribs. The beating went on for some time, the anger fueling the raven to the degree where Annie couldn’t match her, but she was only getting started. This was her chance, no? Chance to be the best, to prove to everyone, her father included, that she can do it. It was the time to rise up and take it. With a growl, she pushed the advancing fighter back and started her comeback, dispensing the hurt with measured punches of her own. 

“You think you can just play with everyone’s feelings, don’t you. “, shouted Mikasa, taking a few steps back from Annie’s assault. “Do you even have a heart or is there just a cube of ice in your chest. “

“You have no fucking idea what you are talking about! “, the blonde yelled, getting close again but also receiving a painful jab into her chest for her troubles. There was some blood in her mouth, so she spat it out, wincing a bit when a wave of hurt ran through her body. Mikasa surely wasn’t pulling her punches this time. But her opponent was in a similar position, a trickle of red in the corner of her lips. 

“I’m going to make you pay. “, Mikasa growled, her resolve going strong. “For everything. “

“When I’m done with you, even your surgeon prodigy boyfriend won’t be able to fix you. “, Annie shot back. 

Drenched, bloodied, they stared each other down, taking the whole situation in. It was absurd in a way, solving this with your strength, like some kind of medieval warriors, but this was just the way they worked. Sometimes, words weren’t enough. Sometimes, you needed a fist to the face. Another crack of lightning shot above them, painting the scenery in an odd, ethereal light. They could see the determination in each other’s faces. Their reasons might be absurd for a third person, but neither of those two was willing to back down even an inch. This, this was a language they understood. When the thunder followed, they attacked again. 

It was a weird combination of wildness and restraint. With pain added to the mix, the initial feral state subsided, and they both started moving a bit more calculated, but still way above anything you could do in a ring. The anger and hate Mikasa felt faded but didn’t die down, it went cold, still fueling her, but no longer forcing her to throw her body wildly at her opponent. The hits she gave were strong, landing on the right places, forcing Annie to try blocking, only to fail miserably. She couldn’t take this for long. There was only one this she could do, change the way they fought to a style she was most comfortable in. With a cry, she charged forward, grabbing Mikasa by the waist and knocking her down on the ground, landing on top. As Mikasa’s back hit the concrete, she could feel a stab of pain in her arm, indicating that there was a new scratch in her collection. Having the upper hand now, Annie pressed the attack, heavy punches raining right between the drops of water. 

The pain was overwhelming. The blood was everywhere. The water was blurring her vision. 

None of that mattered.

In her mind’s eye, she was once again on the roof, watching as one of her best friends walked down from the roof, broken-hearted, just because this bitch thought he was her plaything. But this time, she didn’t move fast enough, and could just watch as Armin fell, his body laying broken on the street afterwards. The rage flaring anew, Mikasa twisted, hard, and they wrestled on the ground, trying to gain dominance. Somehow, she ended up on top, and now was the one raining pain upon her enemy. Annie tried protecting her face, crossing her hands in front of it, but Mikasa was having none of it. She grabbed one of her wrists, pulled, twisted, until there was an audible crack and Annie’s face went white. Normal people would cry out in pain if their hand was broken, but all the blonde did was grunt. Then again, normal fight would stop when you broke a bone, but this one, this one was far from it. You can’t block with broken limb, so Mikasa punched her right in the face, hard, and Annie’s head knocked against the concrete, stars dancing in front of her eyes. The battle was done, anyone could see that. But the feral side of the victor was running too strong now, fully in control of her actions. And when she raised her fist again, she realized one thing.

She’s going to kill her.

Smash the life out of her, right here, right now, amidst the now blooded grass, with the rain falling down on them. Punish her for forcing the naïve and bright young man to a suicide attempt, just because she hurt him, again and again, until he couldn’t take it anymore and broke. Another bolt cracked over them, once again lighting them up. Annie’s face was completely drained of blood, but it was covered by it, one eye swollen shut. She was out of energy, couldn’t fight back anymore, couldn’t even block, she was just lying there, waiting for the end. Mikasa could see her fist now, raised, bloodied, both from her opponent and from the scraped knuckles. But there was also a flash of gold in-between it all, confusing her. Upon taking a closer look, she could see that it was the engagement ring, shining there, beautiful against all the gore. And out of nowhere, she could hear Eren’s voice, whispering in her ear.

“Is this really what you want to do? “, he asked, phantom fingers curling against her wrist. He didn’t hold her back, didn’t try to restrain her, only held her hand up so he could press his imaginative lips against the tattoo. He wasn’t there, of course, but she already knew how it felt, since he did it plenty of times in the past. “This means that your family always held together, right? If you do this, what will it mean for our family? “

Mikasa could feel her anger slowly dwindling. She couldn’t kill Annie, what was she thinking? Murder someone in cold blood, and ruin not only Annie’s life but her own too? What about the people close to her, Eren, Sasha, others? Armin would never forgive her, not after she gave him the big speech about living for others. With a sigh, she dropped her arm. There had to be another way. 

“Why? “¸ she blurted out on her barely coherent enemy, “Why did you do that? “

“I... had to get rid of him. Father said…“, Annie coughed, pained expression on her face, “he said that I can’t… I have no time to….“

Father? Did that mean that…. Mikasa’s head hurt, thinking was hard, but she pushed herself. Annie’s and Armin’s relationship was blooming, until she took him to meet her dad, right? So…

“Annie, is your father, is he forcing you to do these things? “, when she just groaned, Mikasa shook her a bit, “Answer me goddamn it! “

“My dad… he loves me. He wants what’s the best for me…“

“No, this is not love. This is possession. “

Annie was shaking her head.

“You don’t know how it is. “

“What is there to understand? He is trying to control you, own you, it’s as easy as that. You have to stand up for yourself! Or are you just his toy? “

“He’s my trainer…“

“Levi is my trainer too, and do you think I let him talk into who I date? Wake up, this is not normal. “, this was hard for Mikasa to say, after all, she had no parents anymore, but she had to try and make Annie see, “You want to beat me, right? Stand on the top? And you think you will achieve it like this? There is only one person who can get you there, and its not your father. “, she pointed at the center of Annie’s chest, “It’s you. I know it’s difficult, but you have to learn to be yourself, be your own person. “

Mikasa stood up, on weak legs, tilting her head to let the rain fall into her face, cleaning the blood away. On the ground, Annie struggled to get up, until she saw the extended hand from the girl with wet black hair plastered to her head. When Mikasa pulled her to her feet, they measured each other for a moment, taking in the state they were in. Beaten, bloodied, but somehow closer than ever. 

“You... “, Mikasa spat out some blood, “ Go. Think about it. Decide if you want to be someone, or just another no-name, lost in the history. Remember how it was before you gave up on yourself, on your individuality. There’s still a way to get it back. “

With a nod, Annie turned, limping away. Mikasa went back to her bike, leaning on the seat and breathing heavily. She still had to get home without crashing. Because home meant Eren, and he would help her, she could always rely on him. With her target clear in her mind, she picked up her jacket before putting the helmet on her head, kicking the bike awake. The ride back was the most difficult one in her life. Everything hurt, her whole body, but she toughed it out, grateful that the helmet was hiding her face from the public. Once the door clicked closed behind her however, she gave in, falling to her knees, hugging herself. Eren looked up from the couch with an easy smile, but when he noticed the way she looked, he ran to her side immediately, very serious for a change.

“What…?“

Mikasa shook her head. She wasn’t ready to talk about it, not yet. And Eren, bless the man, understood. Without another word, he gathered her in his arms, letting her rest her head on his chest, not minding that the mixture of blood, water and sweat completely ruined his shirt. He carried her to the bathroom, where he stripped her from her wet clothes, quickly and efficiently, and immediately started checking her wounds. Eren kept his expression as neutral as possible, but Mikasa could see the way his lips twitched when he saw the nastier of the bruises she collected.

“What hurts the most? “

“My leg. Is it broken? “

Gentle but firm fingers touched it at a few places, bending her foot.

“Nope. Bruised, not broken. “, he shook his head, “Sometimes you make me wonder if your bones aren’t made out of steel. This on the other hand, “ he said, tracing the cut on her shoulder, “will need a few stitches. But first let’s get the blood from you. “

He washed her with careful hands, not putting any pressure on her hurt body. After that, Eren brought in his kit and started sewing the cut, the needle pricks barely noticeable. 

“Not going to ask me what happened? “¸ she said, trying to get him to talk a bit, the silent treatment he was giving her not very welcome.

“Figured you’ll tell me when the time will be right. “, he replied, the needle not stopping.

So Mikasa took a deep breath and told him everything since the end of the photoshoot. The call from Armin, the scene on the roof that still made her shiver, and then the rage she felt, which made her find and confront Annie, leading into the fight and the wounds she was sporting now. Eren was silent, finishing his stitches and putting the piece of metal away, just watching her afterwards.

“I see. “, was all he commented, before lifting her from the water and heading towards their bedroom. He tucked her in and left, taking care of the bloodied clothes she left behind and also cleaning himself. Mikasa almost fell asleep while he was gone, but when the door opened she woke up.

“Are you mad at me? “, she whispered, looking at Eren.

“No, I’m not mad “, he sighed, coming a bit closer, “I don’t think that what you did was right, but it was …needed. Annie is like you, in a way, sometimes words get you nowhere, and perhaps your way will finally make her see. I just…“, he took a shuddering breath, “I hate seeing you hurt, okay? And yes, I know you are strong, but you keep acting like you are invincible, and you are just human. “ Eren looked down on her, his eyes full of repressed pain as he cradled a side of her head, smoothing his thumb over the scar on her cheek. “I couldn’t bear losing you. I meant it when I said that you are the light of my life. “

“I’m sorry. “, she leaned into his touch, “I’ll try being more careful in the future. I promise. “

“That’s all that I can ask. “

With a last kiss to the forehead, he took a step back into the light streaming in form the living room, and she could see that he was dressed for the outside.

“I have to go and see Armin, I can’t leave him alone when he is like this. “

Mikasa understood, of course she did. So Eren left, closing the door behind him. Alone, she put her head down on the pillow, letting the exhaustion claim her and part her from the prickling in her bruises, at least for a time. 

 

Onya liked night shifts. It was usually really quiet, with just a few people coming into the emergency, letting him browse tinder on his phone in peace. That was, until a bloody blonde figure appeared in the door.

“Hey doc, “, the woman said, “need help. “

And she collapsed on the floor. 

He treated her the best he could, putting her broken hand in cast and taking care of the numerous bruises and cuts she had. Damn but she was beat. He was no stranger to bar brawls and stuff, but this looked like a work of a professional who meant to kill his victim with his bare fists. The patient woke up rather fast, watching him work with cold blue eyes, not saying a thing.

“You do realize I have to report this. “, he said when he was finished, “You were obviously assaulted. “

“No. “, her hand flew up, clutching his forearm with a surprising amount of strength, “Don’t, please. I got into a fight, I wasn’t attacked, I’m not going to press charges or anything. “

“Lady, I just can’t…“

“Don’t report it, I beg you. “, there was a degree of intensity in her eyes, one that gave him a pause. He sighed. Onya knew, he knew that he should just ignore it and do what was right, but for some reason he just couldn’t. The eyes glued him to the spot. 

“You know what? Fine, you win. “

“Thank you. “, with that, she hopped off the table, walking back into the night, letting the completely confused doctor alone again before he could stop her. The women of this town, they were surely beautiful, but also god damn crazy.

 

Knocking on the door again, Eren took a step back, checking the windows to see if there was movement inside. It worried him. Mikasa leaving him like she did, he wasn’t surprised that she did it, after all, she was always a bit of cold when It came to social interactions, but you can’t let a man who attempts a suicide just walk away, that’s not how it works. Finally, there was a click of the lock and the door opened, revealing his friend.

“Eren? What are you doing here? “

He was alive. Eren could a feel a weight falling from his shoulders. Now he had to make sure that it stays that way. Checking him over, he could that he was still dressed in his wet clothes, drenched from the rain.

“Hey buddy, are you just gonna drill me in this weather while I’m standing outside? Can’t I come in? “

“I guess. “, Armin shrugged, turning back and disappearing into the house, the look of apathy still on his face. Yep, definitely not okay. Eren followed the blond, taking in the state of the house. He knew from Sasha that it was a mess but seeing it with his own eyes made him feel guilty that he didn’t try more to break through Armin’s shell himself. He was supposed to be his best friend god damn it. Reaching the bedroom, Armin sat down, staring blankly at the wall. After a moment, Eren sat down next to his friend and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“So, how you doing? “

He didn’t reply.

“Look man, I know what happened, okay? And… I know it’s hard, painful, I mean I’ve been through similar shit, do you remember? But you can’t just end it all, that would hurt everyone way too much. “

Still staring at the wall. Eren guessed that near-death experience does that to you.

“C’mon, I know some people, some professionals you could talk to. It would help, I’m sure. Would you be willing to go visit them with me tomorrow? For my sake, please? “

Finally, finally moving, he nodded his head. It wasn’t great, but it was a start. Seeing him like this, he knew one thing for sure. He can’t leave him alone, at least not tonight before a real psychiatrist can get a good look at him.

“Hey Ar, can I sleep here tonight? I don’t want to drive back in that rain. “

The statement did about zero sense, but that wasn’t the point. He needed to stay here, be there for his friend. To his relief, the blond nodded again.

“Okay, great. “, he stood up, looking around the messy room, “You should change from the wet clothes man, you’ll catch a cold. Tell me, where do you keep your clean ones? “

With Armin still being half lost in the world of apathy, he helped him change from his soaked stuff into a dry set, before tucking him in the bed, just like he did for Mikasa not even an hour back. I guess I’m a damn babysitter now, he thought to himself, shaking his head slightly. He had to make some calls tomorrow, to set up the meeting with people he knew, to help his buddy. But seeing Armin with his blue eyes still open and staring at the ceiling, even the distance to the couch seemed somewhat not safe for now. He needed someone, right here and now, and well, there was only one person at the house with him. With a sigh, he pulled off his jacket, lying down next to his friend, leaving a respectable distance between them. There was silence, just the rain outside hammering on the roof.

“This is kinda gay. “

It took Eren a few moments to understand that Armin just said a joke, but when he did he could feel warmth inside his chest. Laughter was good. 

“Of course it isn’t, don’t you remember the rules? All we have to say is no homo, and we are good. “, he replied, doing his best to frown at the still silhouette of Armin on the other side of the mattress.

There was a breathy chuckle.

“No homo. “

 

Mr. Leonhardt felt like he almost drummed a set of holes into the table, waiting for his girl to come home. He paced before too, but then his leg started acting up and he had to sit down instead. Where was she? Finally, the door creaked open and let her in, but the moment he saw her his eyes went wide. She was soaked form the rain, beaten, hand in cast and a massive bruise on a side of her face, swelling one of her eyes shut.

“Annie?! Where were you? Tell me! “

She took a deep breath and looked right at him, the icy blues reaching right into his chest and wrapping cold fingers around his heart. That was a stare he never saw before.

“Not now, dad. I’m going to sleep. “, ignoring his protests, she walked over to the staircase, only turning at the foot of it, “And tomorrow, we are going to have a talk, you and me. There will be some changes . “

Like he would let that happen.

“You come here right now, miss, and explain yourself. Immediately! I gave you a strict curfew, and I expect you to follow it! I won’t have…“

This was the last straw. Normal parent would be worried if they child came back like this, no? But all he wants is to know why she came back late, disobeying his orders. 

“Dad. Fuck off for once. “

The door closed.

Her father sat back down, eyes wide. Annie never rebelled before, she was such an exemplar child, what happened? He couldn’t let that stand. But when he tried getting up, the eyes she gave him before disappearing came back, and the sheer coldness in them made him stop in his efforts. That look, that was a new one as well. Okay, maybe just this once, he will listen. After all, they can always talk tomorrow. She’s most likely just going through a rebellious phase, nothing to worry about, he will get her back in the line.

Maybe…


	46. An Old Acquaintance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is never enough new characters. Never.
> 
> Enjoy!

Eren Yeager.

Now that was a name Hitch hasn’t heard in a long time. Yet the moment she saw it on her phone screen she could feel her heart beating faster. She kinda had a massive crush on the guy, back in high school, even after the fail of a prom date they had. After graduating, she hasn’t seen him again, because they both applied for different colleges, which made her wonder how the hell he got her number. Easy, don’t forget to breathe, she reminded herself before gathering her courage and picking up. 

“Uhm… Hello?”

“Hitch? Is that really you?”

“Eren?”

“Yea, it’s me, we went to high school together, remember?”

Like she could ever forget. 

“Of course I do, but we haven’t talked since then. How did you find me?”

“From a colleague, he told me that you have your own therapy office now?”

She reclined back in her chair, looking over the place she worked at. It took her a long time, a lot of risks, and some luck, but in the end she really managed to have her own place, just like she dreamed of having back in college, where she could help people. Not for free, of course. Duh.

“I’m a psychiatrist.”, she corrected him, “I don’t do physical stuff.”

“Then you are exactly what I’m looking for. Listen, Hitch, I know it’s a lot to ask all of a sudden, but I need your help. I have a friend who could use your expertise.”

“Oh?”, so he was calling her because of this? Well, that wasn’t what she was hoping for, but hey, she would take it. “That sounds complicated. Why don’t you tell me more about it face to face? We could go for a lunch, or dinner?”

There was silence for a time on the other side of the line, which made her wonder if she wasn’t a bit too direct with her advances.

“I’m sorry….”, he finally said, “But I don’t really feel like socializing right now. I’m going through some shit too.”

“Really? That’s okay; just tell me over the phone then.” Darn it. No matter, there was always next time.

“My friend’s name is Sasha, and she got into an accident recently.”, Eren began explaining, slipping into professionalism as the uneasiness disappeared from his voice. “In short, she was shot, and the bullet shattered a piece of her spine. She can’t walk, Hitch, probably never will again.”

“Damn, that’s heavy.”, Hitch was no stranger to these types of patients. She often treated people who lost a limb, or became crippled in some way, helping them ease into their new reality. With a practiced move of her hand, she opened her schedule, looking for a free space. “I could squeeze her in on Tuesday evenings, would that be okay?”

“That’s amazing. Thanks a lot Hitch, I owe you.”

“Well, I’ll be expecting the dinner then, when you feel better of course.”

He laughed on the other end of the line.

“Count on it.”

 

For all the planning however, her therapy with Sasha ended up being very short. The woman just didn’t need help with understanding her new condition; she accepted it readily, being incredibly at peace with it. There was really nothing she could do for her, as she told Eren on the phone, Sasha simply didn’t require her. After three sessions, she gave up, wishing her short-term patient all the best in the future. To top it off, Sasha brought her a cake a week later, her own creation, to thank her for all her efforts. It was really tasty.

And now, months later, Eren’s name was once more on her screen. He hasn’t called her since they talked about Sasha, the promised dinner evaporating into thin air. Or so she thought.

“Hey Hitch! You doing okay? Listen, I remembered that I owed you something, right? Want to grab a bite today?”

“Sure!”, she had to cover her mouth not to sound too excited about it. Stop squeaking, damn it. “Ehm. I mean, sure, where?”

“There’s a pretty great place not that far from your office, why don’t we meet there for dinner. My treat, of course.”

“Well I never say no to free food.”

He laughed.

“It’s a deal then.”

 

“So you didn’t tell her about Armin? Why?”

Eren scratched the back of his head, watching Mikasa sitting on the couch next to him in Armin’s living room. The owner of said couch, and the house as well, was still in bed, not feeling the need to get up. He was still acting the same, staring at the ceiling as if the patterns there were incredibly interesting. Truthfully, it worried Eren. First thing in the morning, he called Hitch and setup this dinner, where he planned to persuade her to take his friend as a new patient. Second, he called Mikasa to come over, not really wanting to leave Armin alone, even for an evening. He still had it bad. Soon after the call he could hear the car pulling into the driveway, with her knocking at the door saying that she would much rather take the bike. Yet Eren was glad that she didn’t, because for all her bravado her body was still healing from the fight she was in, it was just one day since then after all, and car was way safer to travel in. 

“Well, it’s kinda complicated. Usually, those who attempt suicide are hospitalized, to prevent any further stuff, but I don’t want Armin to go into that. I don’t think it would be good for him. So I want to make her take him a bit in secret, if you get me, and I want to talk to her in person about it, not over the phone.” 

“I see.”, Mikasa nodded, looking thoughtful, “But what if she examines him and tell you that he should go into care.”

“Well, then I’ll make him go. She is an expert in this field, and I want to help him the best I can.”

With another nod, Mikasa stood up, wincing a bit when the pain shot from her ribs. It still ached.

“I think I’ll go check up on him, can you make some food meanwhile?”

“Sure thing.”

The rest of the day was rather disheartening. Mikasa did make Armin leave his bed, but he was so deep inside his shell that all they got from him was one or two word long answers on any questions they had. He seemed okay with going into the therapy, that was good, but seeing him like this made Eren really sad. For such a cheerful man to act like this, Annie must have hurt him deep, deeper than he imagined at first. With the evening approaching, he left the house to be on time for his dinner with Hitch, leaving Mikasa to watch over their friend.

 

Looking at the people around her, Hitch just hoped that she didn’t look out of place in the outfit she chose. Nah, relax; you look good, she said to herself, smoothing her skirt. Okay, maybe she was a little bit overdressed, but hey, she was meeting her high school crush, so she tried looking as good as possible. Now that she thought about it, she had no idea how Eren will look, he surely changed over the years. Did he get fat?

“Hitch! There you are.”

Nope, definitely not fat. The figure coming towards her was taller than she expected, with much broader shoulders than she even dared to think about. Eren was always a bit scrawny, but he surely made something about that, because now when she could see the way he filled his shirt, scrawny wasn’t the word for it. Not at all. In conclusion, this new Eren looked pretty damn amazing, overshadowing even the image she made in her head. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”, he said, tearing her out of her daydreaming. Looking up, she could see some feature she remembered. He still had the same blazing green eyes, and his hair was still brown, although now it was so long that he had to keep it in a bun. Realizing that he was waiting for a reply, she quickly scrambled her brain.

“No, no, I’m fine. It wasn’t that long.”

He nodded, taking a step back and jerking his head in the direction of the restaurant. 

“Shall we?”

 

Well, not only good looking, but also with a great taste. The place was really good, just as he said, the food was amazing, if a bit expensive. Then again, he did say that he is paying, right? 

“It’s pretty crazy that we both ended up doing medicine, and in the same city no less.”, Eren was just saying, leaning over the table. Hitch just nodded, letting herself drown in those pretty eyes of his. With their food finished and the night outside progressing steadily, she was just mentally preparing to make her move. She really did want a piece of that body after all. But just as she was about to speak, his phone rang and he muttered a quick apology before picking up.

“Hey babe, everything okay?”

Babe? Oh come on.

“Yea…Okay….Great! Ok, love you too.” , with that he hung up, but that did nothing to lighten Hitch’s darkened mood.

“Girlfriend?”, she asked, trying not to sound too acidic. Or disappointed.

“Fiancé actually.”, he said with an easy smile, somehow not noticing the change in her aura. He leaned in, serious for a change, most likely moving to the point why he even asked her out in the first place. “I have another favor to ask.”

She sat back with a sigh, shaking her head. Yea, there was no way that no one snatched a catch like him through all the years in college and after. Shit luck Hitch. Whatever, at least she could help him with whatever he needed. Seeing her nod, he continued.

“I got another friend for you, but this one is a little bit different. You remember Armin?”

“The blond guy who used to shadow you all the time in school? Of course I do.”

When he so unceremoniously dumped her after the prom she was 100% sure that he is gay, and Armin is most likely his boyfriend. Another bad guess it seemed. 

“He’s going through a rough patch lately, a lot of issues, and to top it off he got some serious girl trouble. He…. “, Eren leaned a bit closer, “He tried killing himself. Yesterday.”

Hitch blinked in surprise. Not that she never treated someone like that before, but imagining Armin trying to take his own life… It felt weird. 

“So you didn’t tell me over the phone because you don’t want to put him in an asylum, right? You do realize that I will send him in one if I deem him still dangerous to himself.”

“Of course.”, he nodded, “But I still ask you to talk with him first, to see if he really needs it.”

“Sure, okay, no problem. Is tomorrow good?”

“It’s amazing. I don’t even know how to thank you.”

Seeing how happy she made him, it eased down the burn from the fiancé fact she found out earlier. So what that he is taken, they can be friends, right? And if he knows someone she can help, she will do it, there was no questioning that. When she smiled, she didn’t even have to force herself anymore.

“Don’t mention it.”

 

When the door to her office opened, and she could see her patient enter, she was very glad that she took the offer. Because he really did look like someone in need of help, his blue eyes unfocused and blond hair dishevelled, as he probably couldn’t be bothered to do anything about it. Well, it was her turn to help. Eren might be an expert on how to heal bodies, but minds, that was her playing field. 

“Armin! Long time no see.”, she pointed to the couch next to her, indicating for him to lie down on it. When he did, she rewarded him with a smile. 

“Let’s talk.”


	47. Smalltalk

Talk. If only it were so easy.

What is he supposed to say anyway? How is he supposed to start? Well fuck it, she’s supposed to be his shrink. He can just dump it out on her, let her sort it out.

“Hey, name’s Armin, I’m a huge mess who recently tried to kill himself. How about you? Doing all right?”

Hitch doesn’t seem to care much for his sudden outburst, or the lame attempt at joking. 

“Is that all you’ve got to say about yourself? Rather short.”

“What do you want to hear?”, he couldn’t look at her, so he frowned at the ceiling instead. “I’m not an interesting person. The opposite actually.”

“Everyone is interesting, in their own way.”, she countered. “Sometimes it’s just hidden, and needs to be brought out to light.”

Right, because he needed to hear that bullshit. Frustrated, he sighed, but that did nothing to discourage Hitch. 

“I had a patient once that had similar mindset. He pictured himself as the most boring person in the world, not worthy of anyone’s time. But as we worked together, I managed to bring out his old and repressed passion for art.”, without interrupting her speech, Hitch pointed at the large painting hanging on the wall, “He did that, made it for me as a gift. A man with no talent, as he liked to call himself.”

It was pretty damn good, if Armin could have a say in that. Maybe not a piece that critics would fall on their ass over, but a good picture anyway, breathing life into the walls. 

“I can’t paint for shit though.” he blurted out.

“That’s why I said that everyone has their own way of being interesting. You, for example, write, don’t you?”

“I do…. Well, I try to, to be exact.” Armin shook his head in embarrassment, “But it’s a piece of shit, anyone can see that.”

“Isn’t that up to the reader to decide?”

“But I let only my friends see it; of course they will lie to me to make me feel good.”

“So everyone you know is lying to you about your work.” from the tone of her, Hitch had a small smile on her lips, “How convenient.”

They fell silent after that, with Armin turning the facts around in his head, while Hitch watched the sunlight stream in through the windows. 

“Eren told me a few things about you.” she began, hoping to prompt him to speak again, when the silence stretched. It worked.

“Oh really.” there was an emotion in his voice that Hitch certainly didn’t expect. Jealousy, guilt? Maybe? “Then why do you even waste your time talking me? I’m sure that he told you everything important.”

“Do you truly believe that your friend can tell me more about you than yourself?”

“Of course, he’s a medic too, right? Amazing one at that.”

“Human personality consists of much more than just psychological terms.”

Armin just snorted and fell silent again, but the way he reacted to Eren gave her some valuable feedback. She just needed to make sure that her hunch was right; she was never working with half-assed information.

“He did tell me that you talked about yourself as a parasite. Care to elaborate?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” the emotions heard before were drained from Armin’s voice; the only thing that she could hear was resentment. “I’m a piece of shit that does nothing but weights the people around him down. I mean, just look at me, and compare what I do to others. Eren is a prodigy surgeon, Mikasa is one of the best fighters in the world, and what am I? Nothing.”

“Following this logic would mean that almost everyone is the world is nothing then. Your friends are very special individuals, I think that we can both agree on that.”, seeing that it didn’t do much to change Armin’s expression, she tried a different approach. “When you get rid of a parasite, you should be happy, no? Did Mikasa seem happy when you attempted the suicide? Did Eren?”

This time, there was a reaction from him. A slight shake of his head, accompanied by a weak “No…”. 

“So logically from that, we can assume that no one but you sees you as a parasite. Correct?”

He shook his head defiantly, not ready to give up his conviction. “They are just lying for my sake.”

“Armin, the way you put it, you are surrounded by liars from all sides and you are the only one that knows the truth. Doesn’t that sound weird to you? Think about it.”

Silence once again fell on the room, with Armin staring out of the window for a change while Hitch was slowly and surely drawing conclusions. It started to form in front of her eyes.

“You have a very strong inferiority complex towards your friends.”

“I…What?”

“It’s hidden beneath the respect and love you have for them, but it’s there, gnawing away at you.”, moments like these always made Hitch feel like a detective, delivering the conclusion to a case. In her work however, it was only the beginning, since she would still have to work together with Armin to help him overcome his issues, but she just ignored that fact. She can have some fantasies too, no? “You keep pushing out their best features, making them out like some kind of gods. But they are only human, we all are.”, Hitch pressed on, right in her element, “Take me, for example. I could always compare myself to Eren too, no? And am I better than he is? He’s a prodigy, sought after, and all I have is this office. But why should I let him overshadow me? I know I worked hard for where I am today, I know that I deserve it, and I’m proud of my achievements. So instead, I look at him and say, damn, good work Eren, but I did pretty well for myself too. Or, just look at it another way. See your friends as humans, as they are, look at the imperfections they have. I personally cry over romantic movies and I like watching horror ones, even though I can’t fall asleep after because I’m scared. Some nights I feel alone, because I’ve been single for a long time, and I can’t function in the morning without a cup of coffee. And the list of my imperfections is much, much longer.”

It was a lot to take in at once, Hitch knew, and from the expressions on Armin’s face, he knew too. Breaking down the beliefs you trapped yourself in is hard, and sometimes even being shown the exit is not enough. 

“So why don’t we cut it here.” she said, glancing at the clock, “And I’ll give you a little homework. Next week, I want you to tell me some faults you realized about your friends, some little things that make them human. How does that sound?”

They didn’t even get to the main problem he had, the breakup with Annie, the last thing that pushed him over the edge, quite literally, but Hitch knew that they can work slowly on that, there was no rush, they had time. Fixing someone’s psyche, that was a long and arduous work, but she was looking forward to it.

 

“So you don’t have to send him to an asylum after all?”

“No, he’s not dangerous to anyone. Pretty sure that you can leave him alone if you want, he has a lot to think about.”

Eren hummed, sitting back on the couch, and watching the TV absentmindedly. Both he and Mikasa were still in Armin’s house, as he simply didn’t feel like leaving his friend alone, but hearing from Hitch that he is no danger to himself anymore certainly felt good. 

“I guess you can’t tell me what you were talking about, can you?”

“Of course not, we are in patient-doctor relationship. It’s confidential.”

“Yea, I understand.”

“Listen, Eren, Armin told me that your girlfriend is a fighter, is that right?”

Looking down at his lap, where he was cradling the head of the woman in question, he chuckled lightly. Mikasa had her eyes closed, but he couldn’t tell if she was sleeping or no, rest of her body completely still. She didn’t look much like the fighter Hitch was describing right now, still recovering from her injuries, but Eren was glad that she finally took it easy on herself, even if just for a few days. 

“A professional.”, he replied.

“Damn, I didn’t know you were into that.”

“Neither did I,” Eren dragged his fingers through her hair, “until I met her.”

Hitch snickered on the other end of the line. 

“You know what; I guess I’ll leave you two alone. Have a good night Eren.”

“You too Hitch, and thanks, again.”

“So what did she say?”, asked Mikasa out of nowhere, not bothering to open her eyes. Not sleeping then.

“Not much, she can’t, you know how it is. But apparently we don’t have to keep watch over Armin anymore.” he glanced in the direction of the bedroom, where his friend retreated after dinner. He didn’t talk much since coming back from Hitch, but it wasn’t the apathy as before, he seemed deep in thought. Well, that was good progress, Eren hoped. He looked back at Mikasa in his lap, who finally deemed him worthy to open her eyes for, and smiled. “You can go home if you want.”

“I’ll rather stay here with you than be at our house all alone.”

“So you are staying?”, seeing her nod, he grinned, “Great, I’ll head home then.”

She pinched his thigh for that bad joke, but couldn’t hold her own smirk back.

“I guess I’ll have to make sure you don’t leave then.”

With a bit of shuffling around, Mikasa ended up lying on top of him, which sandwiched him between the couch and her weight. It was oddly comfortable. As it looked that neither of them will leave in the end, Eren slowly gave in to his fate, rubbing Mikasa’s back as they watched whatever was on, neither of them really caring. Everything was fine, until out of nowhere Eren felt her teeth sink into his neck, sucking a dark mark on his skin. 

“Hey!”, he turned his head to look at her. It was hard to keep his voice from shivering, because he loved when she did this. “What was that for?”

She leaned closer, letting her lips brush over his, eyes sparkling. “I’m horny.”

Eren almost choked on the air upon hearing the statement, eyes popping wide. Mikasa was usually way more reserved than this. 

“Hey, you feeling okay?”, he pressed a hand against her forehead, checking for fever, but she shook it away.

“It’s just been so loooong,” Mikasa dragged a finger down his throat, letting it rest on his chest. “Don’t you feel the same?”

Well, he was certainly turned on now, there was no denying it. Mikasa must have felt his excitement pressing into her thigh, because her grin only grew wider. 

“You do realize it’s been just a few days.” , he did his best to frown at her, but couldn’t really bring his face to move, because the grin she had successfully infected him.

“Oh come on.”, she pressed on, her palm pressing against his hardness, “You know you want me.”

He did, he fucking did, but flicking his eyes up to the bedroom doors it just kind of didn’t feel right to just fuck on his friend’s couch while he’s going through so much. Mikasa didn’t seem to have the same mindset however, because she pressed her heat right against him, moaning lightly into his ear. Turned on was a weak word to describe how he was feeling. With a resolute move, he flipped them over again, hovering over blushing Mikasa, who didn’t seem to mind the change in perspective, tangling her fingers in his hair and biting her lower lip in expectation. Not like he could leave her hanging. Dipping his head down, he kissed her, hard, not missing the way she purred against him. 

“Let me take care of you,”, he whispered breathlessly when they separated. She nodded rapidly, so he kissed her again, pleased with her obedience before moving his lips down her cheeks and jaw to reach her throat. Remembering her actions from earlier, he sucked in a mark of his own, just to be even of course. When he moved his mouth over her breasts and she squeaked in delight, Eren’s head shot up to see her covering her mouth in embarrassment, ears burning red.

“We have to be silent.” he whispered, looking pointedly at the bedroom door, “Can’t wake Armin up.” , she nodded, eagerly, most likely wanting him to get back to work as soon as possible, but Eren had other ideas. “Let’s make it a little game, okay? I’ll make you feel good, but if you won’t keep silent, I’ll stop.” Looking up with a wicked grin, he saw the way Mikasa frowned down at him, but after a moment she nodded again, understanding the rules. So he dived back in. 

Eren didn’t even bother with stripping her, as he simply pushed the shirt up until it was at her neck. As always, Mikasa showed a quick mind and took the shirt between her teeth, creating a makeshift gag for herself. Clever girl. But he promised to make her feel good, didn’t he, so to keep up his end of the bargain he licked over her breasts, pulling at her hardened nipples lightly with his teeth, while she squirmed beneath him, moans muffled by the fabric in her mouth. Playing with her chest was a fun past time, and he indulged himself, kissing and biting everywhere he wanted to, using his hands as much as his lips. Eren only moved down after he thoroughly abused that part of her body, leaving behind numerous red marks all over her. Mikasa seemed to be reacting well to his care so far, her breathing laboured as he nipped his way down her abs to the part where she wanted him the most. It was almost funny the way she automatically raised her hips when he reached the apex of her thighs, desire and need written in every move of her body. But Eren was in playful mood today, so instead of getting on with it, he continued teasing her, pressing the flat of his tongue against the wet material of her panties, holding her down with his hands. She moaned something behind the barrier of fabric, the pleading falling on deaf ears however as he continued, not willing his playtime to end. 

She was positively soaked by the time he finally took off her underwear, pink and glistening beneath him, desperate for his attention. But through all his teasing, she kept quiet. Deciding that it’s high time to reward her, Eren licked at her, slow and thorough, not rushing anywhere. Patience is a virtue, as they say, but Mikasa seemed kinda over it at this point, arching from the couch while biting down on her shirt, hard, the thighs on the sides of his head shaking. He knew how to make her come fast; of course he did, but decided not to use that knowledge. He did enjoy watching her squirm after all .The muffled moans combined with the rustling of the couch as she moved might have been considered as breaking the rules, but Eren decided to be merciful tonight and didn’t stop, moving her closer and closer with every swipe of his tongue. She was so wet against him, so much in fact that he could easily replace his mouth with three of his fingers, sliding them in and curling up, moving the attention of his lips elsewhere, to the swollen nub just a tad bit higher.  
With a string of curses and encouragements, both made inaudible by the shirt, she came all over his face, but as always Eren didn’t pull away, licking her through her finish in slowed down fashion, prolonging her pleasure for her as much as he could. Only when she stopped shaking and settled down back on the couch, he kissed his way back up her body, ending up hovering over her just as he did before. 

“You do realize that you are most likely a sex addict by now.”, he said pointedly to her flushed face, but instead of answering she grabbed his hair and pulled him down, kissing him hard. Well, good enough of an answer.

It didn’t take them long to settle back into their old position again, his chest to her back, even though it was a bit cramped, considering that Armin’s couch was all but big. Breathing calming, Mikasa traced the shape of his fingers against her stomach, but the one thing that still bugged her mind didn’t allow her to sleep. 

“Eren?”, she whispered, wondering if he still awake. 

“Hmm?”, he kissed her nape in affirmation that he is still up. 

“Back when I was fighting with Annie, I…”, this wasn’t easy to say, but he deserved to know, “I was going to kill her, but you stopped me.”

“I stopped you?”, that was an impressive feat, considering that he was quite far away. Even in his confusion, he felt rather proud of himself. A little bit. “My psychic skills are improving then, that’s good to hear.”

“Well, not in person of course.”, she would frown at him for his teasing, but right now she really just wanted to pour her heart out, “But like, in spirit you were there, telling me not to do it. Kind of.“, she fell silent, turning what she just said inside her head. It didn’t make much sense.

“I’m glad you didn’t kill her, for whatever reason. I like having you here, not in jail.”

She giggled a bit, pressing her body closer to his.

“I like being here too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you ask for smut, i shall always deliver.  
> That's all.
> 
> Till next time!


	48. Ray of Sunlight

Eren groaned, squirming, lips pressed into a thin line. He was really doing his best to keep quiet, honest to god, but sometimes such feat was simply impossible. For example, right now. 

“Shhhh, quiet.”, Mikasa whispered from below his waist, the impish grin on her face showing just how much she enjoyed seeing him struggle. “Don’t want to wake Armin up, do we?”

Leave it to her to take his game from yesterday and turn it against him. When she woke him up in the morning by trailing kisses along his cheeks and down his throat, Eren thought to himself that that might actually be the best thing to wake up to. The theory was quickly debunked, because she continued down, taking off his shirt in the process and throwing it away before pulling down his shorts and returning the favor he did for her last night. And everything was amazing, her mouth, her hand, but then she took him as deep as she could go, which made him groan loudly. She stopped immediately, eyes widening in mock terror as her gaze darted towards the bedroom doors.

“Oh my, we can’t keep going if you will be as loud as this.”, she purred, “Can’t do that to Armin, right?”

Fuck. His very blood-drained brain did its best to comprehend what she was saying, finally understanding after about ten second of him staring at her flushed face. 

“Right….”, he confirmed, nodding. If that’s how she wanted to play it, he was game. With a grin, she tied her hair back, winking at him before going back to work.

For all his bravado Mikasa quickly put him onto his back foot, effortlessly pulling the sounds from him that he just promised himself he wouldn’t do. All the mocking looks and quick giggles that she threw his way showed him that she knew exactly how much she’s making him crumble, and the fact that she enjoyed it very much. Everything she did, every move, every swipe of her tongue, was making Eren lose it more and more, and honestly speaking he had no idea if he would be able to hold back after all. Even the fact that Mikasa took off his shirt earlier proved to be a tactical move by her, because now he couldn’t copy her actions from yesterday and push it into his mouth to muffle himself. Biting into his forearm instead, he just hoped that all his efforts won’t be made void by Armin waking up naturally. That would be quite a bother. 

 

A room away, Armin was staring into the ceiling, listening to his best friend getting a blowjob from his fiancé and praying that they will be done as soon as possible. When his sleep got interrupted by a particularly loud groan, he was confused for a second about what the hell was happening, and who were those people in his living room. After a few moments, when his sleepy brain caught up with reality, he really wished he could just sleep through it all. Eren most likely tried being as quiet as he could, and Mikasa was taunting him for it, as he could decipher from the little giggles he could hear, but seriously? Despite Eren’s best efforts, he was making enough noise to wake up a deaf person in Armin’s opinion. Sure, he could always just get up and swagger into the living room, interrupting whatever was going on there. Wouldn’t be the first time he walked in on the two of them doing things together that were not meant for his eyes. But they both were there for him in the last few days, helped him, literally saved his life now that he thought about it, and it would be quite rude of him to stop them. Instead, Armin picked up his phone from the nightstand, plugged the headphones in and put them in his ears, playing the first music he could find in hopes to spare himself of further sex sounds flowing in. It worked to a degree. 

Now he was left with doing nothing but waiting for them to finish, which could take quite a long time, especially if there was some game between them involved. Instead of just counting the number of sun reflections he could see on the ceiling, Armin pulled out a pen and a notebook from the drawer, and stared at the white page instead, deep in thought. He was supposed to find some faults on his friends, right? Well, he could start right away, no time like the present. Drawing a line right down the middle, he divided the paper into an Eren part and a Mikasa part, tapping his pen against it afterwards, turning around stuff in his head. He was sure that they both had a lot of things he could write down, Hitch was right after all, they were both human, but right now he couldn’t really pinpoint anything. That was, until another really loud groan pierced through his barrier of music, making him frown. Hopeless sex addict, he wrote on Eren’s half, and after a few seconds he added the same line for Mikasa. There, that was a start. Now what more could he add….

 

“See… I… Fuck… I did it.”, Eren panted, watching Mikasa rise from her perch and stretch, tiny smile on her lips.

“Silent as a mouse.”, she confirmed, “I’m sure Armin is still deep in slumber.”, she scratched the back of her head, watching the sun beyond the window. “I’m hungry though.”

Eren was just about to say some stupid joke, something along the lines if he wasn’t enough, but in the end decided against it. He really didn’t feel like getting slapped. Instead, he slowly stood up, legs unsteady, and took a few shuffling steps towards the kitchen. “I’ll make you something.”, he said, checking the contents of the fridge. Right, it didn’t leave him with much of a choice. “Are eggs okay?”

 

By the time Armin shuffled out of his bedroom, wishing them good morning, Mikasa was already stuffing herself with the food, while Eren moved around the counter, right in his element. 

“You…ehm… Slept okay?”, he asked, eyes darting towards Mikasa who did her best to hide her face behind the eggs. 

“Yep, perfectly. How about you guys, the couch was okay?”

“We managed.”

Seeing them both doing their best not to smile, most likely congratulating themselves how sneaky they were, Armin was really on the verge of breaking their illusion. Whatever, let them feel proud, they both deserve it. 

“How’s the photoshoot?”, he asked, directing his gaze at Mikasa. “Shouldn’t you be there right now?”

“I… Uhm… It was fun!” Damn, Armin had no idea that she got into the fight with Annie, now that she thought about it. Most of her bruises were normally hidden beneath her clothes, so that meant on outside she looked fine, but she was still in no condition to work. She told Pixis as much over the phone, and he was completely understanding, saying that she can take her time. The stuff they needed was done anyway, they would start on a new project as soon as she was healed. “But… They don’t need me for now, so I’m taking a little break.”, she smiled at the blond, hoping that she sounded genuine.

“I see.”, he uttered, returning to his food.

Mikasa exchanged a quick relieved look with Eren. Another bullet dodged. Sooner or later, he will most likely find out about the fight anyway, he wasn’t stupid, but right now…. Right now was hardly the time to lay it on him. Maybe after a few more sessions with Hitch, when he will be more stable. For now, they would just keep him in a partial dark, for his own good. Knowing Armin, he would probably get worried, blame himself, or something stupid as that. To top it off, neither of them had any idea how he will react if they even talk about Annie in the first place. As she was the breaking point of his psyche, it was difficult to place just how far he must go before he would be comfortable with mentioning her again. That was a decision best left to Hitch.

“So, you guys will be leaving, right?”, he cut into the silence, once again looking up.

“That’s’ the plan. Unless you want us to stay?”, Eren agreed, moving the pan. 

“Nah. I’ll be glad to have the house for myself again. Not that I don’t enjoy your company of course.”

“How about the bar, you plan on going there today?”

“Well….” Armin circled the piece of egg on his plate with a fork. “There is no point in sitting home, is there?”

In the end, it was decided that Mikasa will accompany him and go to work at the bar with him while Eren will go to the hospital for his shift, joining them after. For some reason, he was really stressing out that Mikasa should be careful, while she rolled her eyes and promised him that she wont push herself. Honestly speaking, Armin had no idea why was he so protective of her, she was the strongest of them all, wasn’t she? What was that about?

 

It was the morning after Annie came back beaten, told him to fuck off and promptly closed herself in her bedroom. Her father was on edge the whole night, unable to fall asleep, turning the conversation around in his head. Now he was waiting for her to come down, drumming on the table with his fingertips, a thing he always did when he was nervous, not really sure what he will say to her. There she was, slowly shuffling down the stairs. The aftermath of whatever fight she got herself into was still visible on her body, her eye was still swollen shut and there was of course the cast on her broken arm. Even the way she walked showed that she was still in some pain, taking careful steps and wincing a bit. 

“Morning.”, he said, clearing his throat after.

“Morning dad.”

Annie came closer and sat down across from him, her eyes meeting his. They weren’t as cold as they were the night before, but there was iron determination in them now.

“Let’s get right into the business.”, she said, shuffling to be a bit more comfortable. “The rules you had me follow up until now, that’s over. Either we completely change them, or we are done. Understand?”

“Done? What do you mean?”

“Dad, I love you, but you can’t keep choking the life out of me just because of your dream. I…”

“Annie, what are you saying?”, he interrupted her, “My dream? It was always our dream! The dream to be the best, and we will make it, together, just…”

“Stop, please. My… dedication haven’t changed, I still want to compete, I want to fight. But I also want to live. Don’t you understand?”

There was some pleading in her voice, but it was hidden behind the barrier of finality in every word. She wouldn’t back down from her points, that was for sure. Before he could answer however, she continued.

“Truth is, I don’t need you, you need me. And I know it sounds heartless, but if you wont work with me as a person, not as a machine, then I’m leaving. I will find another trainer, I can’t…..I can’t keep going like this. It’s killing me.”

“I never saw you as a machine Annie, I just wanted you to be focused.”

“And I appreciate it. But just look at the facts, I can’t live in the gym. Why don’t you take Mikasa for example? She’s winning, right? Being the best? And she’s engaged. How does that fit into your equation?”

He was silent.

“So listen,”, she continued, “the bullshit no relationship rule, the curfews, that’s over, as of this moment. I will probably think of more stuff I want, but this will do for now. Now you either understand that, and we can keep moving, or tell me if you can’t, and I’ll go pack my stuff.” She was dead serious about this, he could see it in her eyes. “Which one will it be, dad?”

Perhaps…. Perhaps some changes were in order.

“I… Agree.”

“Great.”


	49. Uncertainty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being AWOL, but I’m kinda on a dry streak right now, hope it will get better. 
> 
> For those who are still bearing with me:  
> Enjoy!

“Fuck.“

Levi stared at the phone in his hand, eyebrows furrowed, holding it as far away from his face as possible, as if the machine could bite him. His finger hovered above the call button, itching closer and closer until he gave up. Again.

“Shit.”

With a flick of his wrist, he threw it away, and the phone landed on the bed, lying innocently afterwards. Frustrated, Levi ran his hands through his hair, his thoughts racing. Well, racing might not be the best word for it, since all they did was going in the same circle, over and over again. The number, which he was so afraid to call, belonged to no one else but his old friend and recently his photographer, Petra. Getting it was easy, all he had to do was give Yelena a call and ask for it, saying that he wants to go over some details with her. Although the assistant gave it to him readily, Levi had the feeling that there was a mocking tone in her voice, which indicated that she knew very well why he wanted it. Well screw her, she can think what she wants to, he didn’t give a fuck. But now, after acquiring said number, all he could do was dial it and then watch his finger go for, but never reach, the call button. 

It’s not like he was afraid of anything, but… Damn it, why did she act the way she did back at the photoshoot? Did she really forget about him? Or maybe she just simply didn’t want to see him again. And if that was the case, should he really try and force himself into her life? What gave him the right to do so? With another of his frustrated groans, he paced around the room. He couldn’t do this. Could he? Slowly, carefully, he picked up the phone again, staring at the screen, as his thumb crept forwards, almost reaching, until… It rang on its own, almost making Levi jump out of his skin. Heart beating, he saw that it was Hange calling, and it with a defeated sigh, picked up.

“Levi! How are you doing?”

“I’m fucking swell. What do you need?”

He really didn’t feel like making smalltalk right now.

“Oh damn, someone is even grumpier than usual this morning.”, she laughed at her own joke, not really caring that he didn’t find it funny. “We need a big strong man to help us down at the bar, can you come? And don’t worry about the big part, I brought a ladder.”

Fuck it, fuck it all. It’s not like he could ever bring himself to call Petra anyway.

“I’m on my way.”

 

Mikasa punched, dodged, danced a few steps back, breathing calm and measured. With another precise hit, she forced her imaginary opponent to take a wild swing, one she could duck under and…. A shot of pain appeared in her ribs and spread into her body, and she winced, pressing a hand against the aching area. It was just a week since her epic battle against the forces of evil, namely Annie, and her body was still not in the top shape she wished it would be in. Normal movements and day-to-day life were okay, but when she strained herself, like by training for example, it tended to protest. Mikasa could imagine Eren’s smug grin if he would see her like this. Not happy that she hurt, of course not, but he did like being right. Ignoring his warnings that she should take it easy was not the smartest decision in her life. The pain subsiding, she straightened, breathing slowly to get her ribs back into her control. Eyes aimlessly wandering around the gym, she watched the other people there, until her gaze ran over a person that was not supposed to be there. Like, not at all. Annie seemed to notice her at the same time, and she came closer, neutral expression on her face. She was still beaten, although the swelling around her eye was gone, turning into a black eye, making her able to see clearly, but her hand was still broken, obviously, so there was the white cast around the limb. 

“Hey.”, was all she said, watching Mikasa, most likely waiting for a reaction.

“Annie. What are you doing here?”, she did her best to keep the tone of her voice under control, but the emotions she felt were still going strong, even after the time that passed. Sure, she knew that not everything was Annie’s fault, as she was strongly manipulated by her father, but that didn’t do much to stop the dislike for the girl. Trying to keep her mind from venturing too far into that territory, she gestured to her hand. “You can’t train yet.”

The blonde shook her head, cradling the limb. “I know that. I didn’t come here to train. I came to talk to you.”

Maybe it would be courteous to ask her if she wants to sit or something, maybe go somewhere else to talk than the gym, but Mikasa wasn’t feeling like a very pleasant host, especially not to Annie.

“Talk then.”

If Annie didn’t expect such bluntness, she didn’t show it, dragging her fingers over the cast as she struggled to meet Mikasa’s eyes. 

“I just… I wanted to ask… Ehm, how is he?”

It was rather obvious who the “He” in question is.

“Armin is fine.”, well, he wasn’t completely fine, but there was no need for her to know that. “He’s picking himself up from the ground where you knocked him. Again.” Maybe the words carried a little bit more venom than necessary, but Mikasa wasn’t about to dwell on that. 

Annie winced a bit as if the words physically hurt her but didn’t back down. “That’s good, great. I just want to tell you that I’ve talked to my dad, and… We made some changes, for the better really, so I should thank you for making me see.”

Honestly speaking, Mikasa didn’t care much for the changes in Annie’s life. Maybe later, when the memory of Armin walking down the roof will be less fresh in her mind, she will be able to empathize, but not now. All she did was nod, hoping that Annie might take her leave then, but she was wrong.

“So… Do you think it’s a good idea if I go talk to him?”

“Talk to him? You? No, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

There was some defiance appearing in Annie’s eyes upon hearing those words, as she most likely thought that Mikasa is only doing her best to separate her from Armin out of spite. Well, if she wants to push it, she deserves to know the whole truth. Moving over the ropes, Mikasa jumped down from the ring, standing face to face with her blonde rival. 

“Listen. I think it’s about time you know what really happened that night. I didn’t come to beat you up just because you broke up with him, that would hardly be the appropriate reaction. But the thing is…”, Annie really had no idea what she was talking about, her blue eyes wide as she watched her. Mikasa took a deep breath. “He tried to kill himself, Annie. Actually no, scratch that, he did kill himself, jumped from the damn roof where you left him. Only thing that stopped him from dying was me catching him. Now you see why I don’t think that going to talk to him after just a week is a good idea?”

“What…what are you saying?”

“He’s in therapy because of you, Annie, because of what you did to him. So please, stop.”

The blonde covered her open mouth with her hand, staring at Mikasa in disbelief. 

“I… had no idea, I didn’t know, I…”

She ran out of words to say. In silence, the two women just watched each other, with one being in shock while the other offered no reprieve. 

“Just give him time and stay away. It’s for the best.”

Annie nodded, slowly, broken. She turned away, walking to the exit, until she thought of something and stopped.

“Can you tell him… Tell him…” Mikasa waited for the message, but in the end got nothing, Annie only shook her head in defeat. “Never mind, there is nothing to say anymore.”

And with that, she left.

 

Once again finding himself on the couch, Armin watched the painting hanging on the wall, deciding that he likes it more and more by the second.

“Hello Armin, how are you doing?”, asked Hitch from her usual seat, wearing the same friendly smile she had last time.

“I’m doing great, I think. Things are getting better.”

“That’s amazing to hear. Now did you bring that little homework I gave you the last time?”

“Oh yea.”, reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the paper, unfolding it and frowning at the words written inside. “I’m not sure how I did.”

“This was hardly a test of any sorts, it’s just a little side something to help you.”, she gestured to the paper, “Can I see it or would you rather just talk about the things you wrote down.”

With a shrug, Armin handed her the list, and she murmured a quick thanks before going through it, lips twitching upwards over some of the points he made.

“See,”, she said after finishing her reading, “just a week ago you couldn’t think of anything, but now you picked up quite a few, didn’t you?”

“I’m not sure that the stuff I wrote can be considered as a bad thing. It’s not like they are evil or anything.”

“It’s not hard to assume that your friends are hardly evil, Armin. This list,”, she held it up “is nothing degrading or demeaning, we didn’t come here to make fun of them. It’s just human to have some traits that could be considered as not exactly ideal.” Seeing him nod, she continued. “I would like to hear your comments on some of the things you wrote down. Would that be okay?”

“Sure, I should be able to back up my own points, shouldn’t I?”

Hitch’s eyes slowly moved from her patient back to the paper, as she started preparing her questions in her head. If she plays this right, this could be both helpful and fun at the same time. Laughter is a great therapy after all. 

 

There was shout from the main room, followed by a clutter of tools. Connie started to laugh while Levi was loudly making his point, all that noise accompanied by Hange’s own words that somehow weaved through it all. Sasha ignored them. Sitting snugly in her wheelchair, she continued her work on the laptop, hammering out the last details of the deals with their future suppliers. Carla was supposed to come in soon, and she would put her workforce back in order. When Sasha’s phone rang, she didn’t even bother looking at the display before picking up.

“Sasha here, you got any errands for me to run?”

But instead of Carla’s playful response there was only a silence on the other end of the line. Frowning, she finally did look at the phone to see that the number of the caller was one she didn’t know. 

“Uhm, hello? Sasha Blouse on the line.”, she tried again. 

She could hear breathing, but no one said a word. 

“Listen, if this is a prank call, I have to warn you that I have a friend who is more than capable of beating you up so badly that you won’t know what year it is.”, maybe she was a little bit harsh, but hey, prank calls were only funny when she did them, not the other way around. There was no response from the caller, and her patience was wearing thin. Just as she was about to just hang up, someone finally did speak up.

“Uhm, miss Blouse, I…”, it was a young girl speaking, judging from the voice, and it was laced with fear. What was she afraid of? But before Sasha could ask, she continued.

“My name is Gabi, and I… Ehm...”

Something about hearing her so stressed about something just triggered Sasha’s protective instincts.

“It’s okay Gabi, you can talk to me. I’m really friendly in person, sorry about the threats, I didn’t mean them.”

She could hear that the other girl took a deep breath.

“I’m the one that shot you.”


	50. Possibility of a turning point

Snip. Snip. Snip.

“Still not regretting your decision?”

Mikasa turned her head left and right, checking the way her new hairstyle sat on her.

“Nope, looks pretty good.”, she looked up at Eren with a grin, “You can add hairdresser to your resume babe.”

“Eyes front.”, he ordered, “I’m not done yet.”

With a chuckle, she obeyed, and he was left to look over his handiwork with a critical eye. When Mikasa came to him with a request that he cut her hair, because it was getting too long in her opinion, he didn’t know what to say. He liked playing with her hair a lot, braiding, washing, or just petting it, but cutting it was something else. What if he did it wrong? But in the end, her gentle persuasion and the promise of a reward afterwards (eyebrow wiggle from her side) outweighed his worries and now here he was, snipping away at the strands of ebony. Luckily, her request was pretty easy, all she wanted from him was to shorten it, no special hairdressing skills required from his side. And overall, he was handy with delicate work, scalpel required a lot of accuracy to use, just like scissors. Now just about finished, he could say to himself that he did a pretty good job after all. The length she asked for was short, very short, one could say boyish, but it suited her. Then again, he thought everything suited her, because she was just so damn beautiful, so he might not be the best of judges for this particular issue. Putting a last few finishing touches, he stepped back, nodding.

“Want me to change something?”

Leaning forward, she inspected it from all angles, shook her head a bit to see if it won’t go in her eyes, and in the end let out a satisfied sigh. 

“It’s actually perfect, just like I wanted it.”, in one swift move she stood up, wrapping her arms around Eren’s neck. “You are such a talent, baby. Now I won’t even have to tie it back when I blow you.”

Stunned, he stared at her. Who was this girl and what did she do to his Mikasa? She went on as if nothing happened however, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. The proximity of her body combined with her comment did remind him of something.

“So… What about the reward you promised me? Any hints?”

“Impatient,”, she shook her head, but the smile didn’t leave her face, “You’ll have to wait for it. But I promise that it will be…”, she leaned a bit closer, whispering into his ear, “worth it.”

With that, she let go and walked away, leaving a confused and somehow turned on Eren standing in the middle of the bathroom by himself. Well, if she tells him to wait, he’s going to wait, so far, she never let him down. Humming to himself, he started cleaning up, already looking forward to the mysterious gift.

 

Annie watched the sun overhead, leaning on the railing. It blinded her, the rays falling directly into her eyes, but she refused to look away, defiantly squinting against the blazing ball of fire. In the end however, her body betrayed her, and her head turned away on its own, protecting her vision. She sighed. Sometimes a strong will is not enough. Her fingers skimmed over the cast on her broken hand, the touch bringing in the memories of the fight. The storm that raged around them was nothing compared to the storm that was Mikasa. Never in her life has Annie fought someone that good, so strong and fast combined with the skills she had, that was terrifying to face. Annie was sure that Mikasa could easily kill her back then, it even seemed like that was what she was going to do, but then she looked at her ring, and stopped, thank god. Survival however meant that now she had to nurse her body back into health, because the beating she received was rather thorough. Broken hand, black eye, numerous bruises and a limp in her walk served as a sort of everyday reminder what kind of beast she did unleash. But the pain of her body was small when compared to the anguish she felt emotionally. The things Mikasa told her back at the gym hurt her more than any of the punches that hit home. Armin tried to kill himself, because of her, because of what she did to him. Head hanging low, she let out a long breath. She’s a terrible person.

The floorboards behind her creaked, and soon another person was standing next to her. Judging from the way the newcomer favored his right leg, avoiding putting weight on the injured left one, it was easy to guess that it was no one else but her father. He didn’t say anything, just wrapped an arm around her shoulders, offering his silent support. He changed, following the confrontation the two of them had, the defiance of his daughter finally opening his eyes. Things shifted for the better between them, but that didn’t erase the mistakes of the past. Closing her eyes, she leaned on her father’s shoulder.

“I’ve been thinking Annie. “, he said, rubbing her back gently, “We could move, if you want to. Get away from this.”

It was tempting. To start again, with a clean slate, somewhere where no one knew you, no one knew your past. A lot of things flew through Annie’s mind as she considered the offer, weighing the pros and cons. But there was something, like a gravity, a strong magnetic pull in her mind that just didn’t want to let her leave. It whispered that she belonged here, and that not everything is lost yet. In the end, she shook her head.

“No, I don’t want to run.”

“I just…. Feel bad sweetie. I’ve been a terrible father, made your life so much harder….”

“That’s not entirely your fault. I could have stopped you anytime, but I didn’t, I just… I just wanted the guidance you gave me, and I turned a blind eye towards the fact that it was a bad one.”

Her father laughed, his body next to her rumbling with the sound.

“We fucked up a lot of things, didn’t we?”

Even with all the shit they were going through, with everything seemingly falling apart around her, Annie could feel her lips curving upwards into a smile.

“We sure did.”

But maybe, just maybe, they can fix it.

 

If she was being honest, Hitch didn’t expect so many lines to go through when she gave her patient the assignment. But, as it was usual with repressed feelings, once the dam broke, there was no stopping the flood. They were sitting in her office for a better part of the hour already, but they were far from done.

“Overprotective.”, she read on Eren’s half, raising her eyes towards Armin.

“He’s very careful about everyone, honestly, he hates making people hurt. But those instincts are boosted to thousand percent when it comes to Mikasa.”

“Being careful with the people you love is quite common, wouldn’t you say? What’s the line between being protective and overprotective according to you?”

“I have a perfect event to back up this point.”, Armin sat up a bit straighter as he combed his memory for the exact thing he was looking for, while Hitch waited patiently. It was usually like this. The lines he wrote on paper were accompanied by a story, one that he wanted to get off his chest. Armin had a lot of things pent up inside him, and Hitch was glad that he was finally talking. The incident with Annie, the one that supposedly made him try to take his life was just a tip of the iceberg, a breaking point, but there was a whole lot of ice beneath the water surface.

“Mikasa had an accident, about two years back, something related to training.”, he furrowed his eyebrows, “I can’t recall the specifics, but I do remember that Eren was freaking out about it, even when it was nothing that serious. She even told him that everything is fine, but he just wouldn’t listen. He took her to a hospital, for an x-ray scan, because he wanted to be sure.”, Armin raised a finger, “And here comes my point. He used his influence and the fact that he worked there, and everyone knew him of course, to skip the whole queue, getting Mikasa in first while other people, even with more severe injuries, had to wait until she was done. Wouldn’t you say that it is a negative trait, at least partly?”

“I see your point.”, Hitch nodded, tapping the list with her pen, “And I think you are right, it’s a good one. Moving on.”, she redirected her gaze back at the paper, “Mikasa: Indestructible? Sounds like a movie title.”

“This one is pretty self-explanatory. She acts like she’s made of steel sometimes, completely ignoring the fact that her body is still human.”, Armin smirked, “It drives Eren crazy. It’s not really a negative trait or anything, but they did argue about the point a few times already.”

“It makes her partner worried, so it definitely has a place here. Now…”, Hitch looked up, seeing the clock on the wall nearing the end of an hour. She really wanted to go on, the list was giving her tons of resources to work with, but there were other patients on her schedule, and even good things shouldn’t be taken all at once. “Our time this week is almost done, but I feel like we made a lot of good progress, wouldn’t you say?”

Nodding, Arming stood up, stretching. It really did feel good.

“We can continue this next week, just after Halloween.”, Hitch said, watching him put his jacket on. “What about that; do you plan on going somewhere? A party?” It was good to gently nudge your patients to try and get out of their shells. Social occasions were useful if spent in the right company.

“I wasn’t planning to, but then Eren and Sasha planned a party at the bar we are working at. And I can’t really say no to that.”, he left out the fact that he didn’t want to, either. Now, standing here, watching Hitch, he felt an amazing idea slowly appear in his brain. “Maybe you could come with me? Unless you have something planned?”

“I’m not sure that would be proper.”, honestly Hitch didn’t plan on going anywhere, she didn’t like losing control over her actions, meaning she wasn’t much interested in drinking, and that’s what Halloween parties were most about, no? 

“Please doc?”, Armin tried again, doing his best puppy eyes, “No one knows about the fact that you are my therapist, apart from Eren and Mikasa. You can come as my friend, not a doctor.” Seeing that she still wasn’t sold, he pulled out his trump card. “Eren usually drinks a lot, and it’s pretty funny to watch you know….”

Well, maybe she didn’t have to get drunk herself, but seeing other’s do it could be educational. And also, she could go to provide her patient with emotional support and stuff. Yep, that was a good reason.

“Well, if you are sure that I won’t get in anyone’s way…”

Armin seemed to be really happy about the fact that she gave in in the end.

“Oh no, not at all, it’s going to be loads of fun, I promise!”

Right.

 

“So, this is my reward? Eternal waiting?”

Mikasa laughed from the bathroom.

“Patience is a virtue baby.”

With a sigh, he let his head fall back on the sofa, melting into the soft material. Whatever Mikasa had planned, he just hoped that it won’t be too exhausting, because he was beat after his shift at the hospital. That didn’t mean that he didn’t plan on enjoying anything she threw at him fully, of course. Finally, the door opened and let the woman of his heart in, dressed in a bathrobe with a smile on her lips. It was easy to see what took her such a long time, as her features were enhanced by a much more makeup than usual. 

“Training for Halloween already?”, he asked with a grin of his own, gesturing towards her face.

Mikasa shook her head.

“When I’ll start training for Halloween, you can be damn sure that you will be my guinea pig, trying stuff on yourself is not as…satisfying.”

Eren had the creeping suspicion that originally, she wanted to end the sentence with funny, but whatever response he had planned got canceled because she picked just that moment to pull on her belt, letting the robe drop on the ground. He sucked in a breath. The black lace of her underwear combined with strappy heels of the same color she picked were the only things covering her body, but from the way she walked it was clear to see that the clothing was only part of the show. She came close, leaning on the sofa next to Eren, who gave her his undivided attention, her smile widening when she thought just how much he was reacting to her.

“I heard that someone requested a private dance, do I have it right?” 

It took him a few moments before he realized that she’s expecting an answer and nodded rapidly.

“Okay…”, slowly, she dragged a finger down his face, “You do remember the rules of the club, don’t you?”

“No touching.”, he confirmed, putting his hands on the sofa next to him, palms up.

Satisfied with his obedience, she gracefully slid into his lap, hips touching him in just the right places. Eren had to fight his arms from automatically holding her waist, but he forced them down. A dancer huh? Mikasa’s body was amazingly flexible and lithe, and while she used those skills in the ring most of the time, they could very well be made to work on a more sensual activity. Like lap dancing. It wasn’t the first time they did a stripper roleplay, but it was the first since…. Fuck, what was the girl’s name? Jade? Eren grimaced a bit, the memories of the club were not amongst his most treasured ones. Mikasa must have noticed his change of expression, because she stopped, confused.

“Something wrong?”, she asked, cocking her head to the side.

“No, no, everything is amazing, please continue.”

But as always, she wasn’t buying it.

“Eren…”, she started slowly, her eyes narrowing.

She deserved to know about it, about it all, the whole stupid experiment that Hange put him through. But fuck, with her here on his lap, he seriously hoped that she will wait, at least until the play is done.

“Okay, there is something, but it’s nothing serious. Can we talk after? Please?”

She sighed, shaking her head a bit. 

“Only because you are such a good boy.”, she said, tapping his chest with the tip of her finger. “But you are not off the hook, we are going to talk about it, understand?”

He couldn’t nod fast enough. Curiosity satisfied, at least for now, Mikasa started moving again, and Eren’s head fell back with a sigh.

This night is going to be a long one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back when i started writing this, i never expected coming this far if im being honest. But here we are, 50 chapters in, and i don't see myself stopping anytime soon. It's kinda crazy.  
> To anyone still interested, thank you, for the kudos and comments, and rest assured that i read them all and they fuel me like nothing else.
> 
> Till next time!


	51. Superhero Landing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's kinda late for Halloween but better late than never, as they say.  
> Right?  
> Right.
> 
> Enjoy!

“I’m Batman.“

Mikasa snorted from the place where she was fixing the cowl of her costume, shaking her head.

“A bit raspier babe.”

“Right.”, answered the superhero standing in the middle of their living room in Eren’s voice, and tried again.

“I’m Batman.”

“Much better.”, satisfied with her outfit, Mikasa took a step back and turned towards him. “But I gotta say, I never heard about Batman having that.”

“Having what?”, Eren frowned, checking over his armor to see if he perhaps forgot to take off some of his normal clothes.

Her grin widened.

“Erectile dysfunction.”

“You know what, I’m not even going to answer to that, it’s a low blow.”

But she was far from done.

“Would you say that it was…. Below the belt?”

The groan of frustration he let out was accompanied by her laughter, but even with all the teasing Eren was now forced to endure, he was glad that he came clean to her. They had the talk just a few days back, not right after the play night like Mikasa originally wanted, because she was simply too tired to be angry afterwards, in her own words, and fell asleep promptly. It was the morning after that she asked him to spill his beans. So, he did. Leaving nothing out, Eren told her everything from the top, starting with the girl he met at the bar and then the stuff with Hange. He couldn’t look her in the face during his monologue of confession, the buried shame burning in his cheeks, so he played with her fingers instead, wondering how her digits can look so elegant and strong at the same time. When he finished and fell silent, they were both quiet for a time, with Eren mentally preparing himself for the worst. Out of nowhere, she laughed.

“You okay?”, he asked warily, not sure if the laughter wasn’t just her way of dealing with desperation. Yet she looked genuinely amused.

“This is just too funny!”, whole body shaking with amusement, she wiped her eyes and was about to say something, but seeing his expression she burst again, shaking her head.

“Ye, ye, just laugh at me.”, Eren folded his arms on his chest, mood darkening. It wasn’t that funny, was it?

“It’s just….”, taking a deep breath, she tried again, “It’s just interesting, if you are telling the truth, no?”, finally managing to keep her body under control, she rolled closer, casting an inspecting eye over him. “Maybe it’s a little different than you are saying though. Perhaps you just really like Asian girls?”, she suggested.

“Nah.”, Eren shook his head, “The second girl, the one in the strip club, she was Asian, and it didn’t work for me either.”

Not able to hold it back anymore, she started giggling again, and Eren turned away, fully intent on feeling hurt for at least five minutes. That was, until he felt her hands hug him from behind and her mouth appearing at his ear. 

“Don’t sulk.”, she whispered, but he wouldn’t give up so easily, and didn’t reply. So, she bit his earlobe. 

With a growl, he turned and attacked, and they tumbled between the sheets, until he managed to pin her down and scowl at her amused expression from the top. 

“You aren’t mad?”, he asked, the last bits of worries still at the back of his mind.

“Mad? Why? Nothing happened.”, she grew serious for a change, reaching out to caress his cheek, “And it’s partly my fault too, isn’t it?”

No, he wasn’t about to spiral down into the bad memories again. Not when he had her lithe body pressed into the mattress under him, the position already having a certain effect on his nether regions. Chasing away the past, he dipped his head to kiss her, eyes widening when he felt her hand sneak down to cup his quickly growing hardness. 

“Maybe I just have a magic touch.”, she whispered against his lips, her fingers playing with him. 

Instead of answering, he kissed her again, soon descending to nip at her neck, which she craned to make it easier for him. 

“So, you actually can’t ever cheat on me, physically.”

“Just drop it.”, he murmured against her skin, marking the pale canvas with small bites.

“But…Ah…”, whatever she wanted to say was lost in her moan, and soon after she finally did stop talking, allowing Eren to show her that whatever his problem was, she was the one and total cure.

“We should slowly start heading out.”, he said, breaking out of the pleasant memory and glancing at the clock. Mikasa nodded, making sure that her costume was on point and walking over to him to check the straps that held his armor on. The Batman costume was pretty much spot on, complete with cowl and cloak, the belt even holding some of the gadgets the superhero used. Her own suit was that of a Catwoman, as they wanted to match together, so the hero’s love interest was an easy choice. Plus, she really did like cats. Her costume consisted of a catsuit, surprisingly, combat boots, cowl, goggles and steel tipped claws, the belt holding the heroine’s signature weapon, her whip. The suit she had still hugged her body close, but it wasn’t as tight as the one they had for their own private playtimes, which in combination with the fact that it lacked the corset in the middle allowed her to have underwear on comfortably. Thank god.

“Not wearing heels?”, he asked with a lopsided grin, noticing the height difference between them as she approached.

“Of course not. I’m getting wasted tonight, and I’m not good at wearing heels in the first place. I’d just keep falling on my face the whole night.”

“That would be funny to see.”

She tried pinching him, but the armor on his chest effectively blocked it, the steel claws scratching over the surface.

“You can’t stop me anymore.”, he rasped in his Batman voice, “I’m invincible.”

Just to prove him wrong, she pinched his exposed cheek instead, walking away with a smug smile when she heard him cry out.

“Okay then,”, he said, nursing his battle wound, “Let’s go.”

Seeing him take a deep breath, Mikasa’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t…”

“To the Batmobile!”

“Eren, we are walking.”

“Oh right…”

 

Levi turned, checking his dark suit for any faults while scowling at his reflection in the mirror, unable to realize why the hell was he even attending the party in the first place. Well, honestly speaking, the answer was rather simple and at the moment rushing in through the door. 

“Levi! We are supposed to have costumes!”, Hange cried out, seeing him, “Why didn’t you get one?”

“What? I have a costume!”, spreading his arms to let her see the whole thing, he waited until she took him in, but there was still no light of recognition in her eyes.

“I don’t get it.”, she surrendered. Her own suit was easy to identify. A white lab coat and too-large glasses combined with the crazy way she combed her hair could be misleading, but the large name tag on her right breast, that read: “Dr. Frankenstein” kind of gave it away. She was probably looking forward to correcting people whole night that Frankenstein was the doctor, so her costume was accurate thank you very much, because the big green thing was in fact Frankenstein’s monster.

Deciding to give her a hint, Levi bared his teeth, letting her see the sharp points he had on. “I suck blood.” There, now she had to get it. Realization dawning on her face, she connected the dots. Black suit, sharp teeth, tiny, sucks blood. Well, that’s an easy one. 

“You’re a tick!”

“What? No! I’m a fucking vampire!”

“Aaaah, I see.”

Whatever, she was just making fun of him anyway, wasn’t she. He was a vampire, it was clear as a day. Or night. 

“Let’s just go.”, he said, squeezing past the snickering scientist and out of the apartment.

 

Thinking back, Hitch should have really thought through the idea of having a costume to a Halloween party much sooner. Yet here she was, racking her brain in front of her wardrobe, with Armin coming to pick her up in just a few minutes. As usual, while she was an expert of picking apart the brains of others, her own failed her. What was she supposed to throw together? A slutty psychiatrist? Yeah, that won’t do. Biting the inside of her cheek, a bad habit she had since she was a child, her fingers skimmed over her clothing, but her idea table was still as barren as her sexual life for the last year. Nice comparison brain, why thanks for reminding me.

The doorbell rang, making her jump, just before she realized who it was and went to open the door, defeated. There was a joker on the other side of her door, she realized dumbly, staring at the purple suited villain.

“Uhm… Can I help you?”

“Wait, don’t you recognize me?”, said the visage in Armin’s voice, “Damn, I didn’t know I’m that good with makeup.”

He was nicely painted, Hitch had to agree. Seeing him and his near-perfect costume did remind her of her own lack of one, and she groaned in desperation, leaning on the doorframe heavily.

“Why Joker though?”, she asked, just to keep the conversation going and steer it away from the fact that she wasn’t ready to go. Like, at all.

“Eren is Batman, so I’m just fitting in with him, we usually do something together. It used to be just the two of us, but lately Mikasa was also taking part.”

“Do you perhaps feel that she is taking your friend away like that? Invading things that were only for the two of you?”

“Well I…”, he staggered, obviously taken back by such a question, but soon his eyes narrowed in suspicion, “Wait a minute…”, his gaze slid over her, “You’re just stalling! Cause you don’t have a costume as I can see.”

“You caught me.”, she hugged herself, offering him an apologetic smile, “I don’t think I can go after all Armin. I’m really sorry.”

His face fell when he heard that, but he wasn’t about to give up that easily.

“C’mon, we can think of something. Can I come in?”

Hitch stepped aside to let him in, closing the door afterwards. She didn’t know why he was so bend on making her come with him, but it was good to see that just how passionate he could be about it. Plus, she really needed the help, she was at her wit’s end. Perhaps a fresh pair of eyes could help her out. 

“Nice place.”, he gestured around her flat, seemingly a bit nervous if he wasn’t overstepping his boundaries. Hitch accepted the praise with a nod of her head, very well knowing that he was just being courteous. Her flat was in kind of a mess, papers lying everywhere combined with clothes and other things. Truth be told, she usually didn’t spend much time here, coming exhausted from work just to collapse on the bed and sleep till morning. And if she had some free time, she usually spent it huddled on the couch watching TV, not by cleaning. But it was nice of him to say that to her, that was for sure.

“Right so…”, Armin glanced at the scattered clothes but didn’t comment on it, “You have any preferences or something? Movies? Books?”

“No, really, I’m desperate. I’ll take anything.”

Armin nodded and walked around a bit, searching for stuff he could put together, while Hitch just remained where she was, inwardly cursing herself. This all could be so much easier if she just went out and bought something, but no, she just couldn’t remember even that simple of a thing. Great, just great. There was a victorious cry however, and soon after Armin reappeared holding her old doctor coat, the one she hasn’t used in ages because patients reacted much better when she was wearing casual stuff, just like them. 

“You can be my Harley!”, he exclaimed, grinning wide, which somehow fit the whole Joker exterior, “Complete the team!”

“Uhm… isn’t Harley Quinn supposed to be like, insane? With blue and red hair and stuff?”

“Yea, but that’s after she meets the Joker.”, he held out the coat, “You can be Harleen Quinzel, the psychiatrist that became Harley after.”

Well, that wasn’t half bad idea. Easy to make and she was a psychiatrist in everyday life anyway, so it should be natural to keep in character.

“All right.”, Hitch returned Armin’s victorious grin, nodding. “Let’s do this.”

 

The sky was dark as they walked towards the bar, but everywhere you could see the parties and people in the streets, clearly indicating that tonight was no ordinary night. Number of times they got recognized by groups of trick-or-treating kids or teenagers, who either complimented their costumes or shouted suggestive phrases Mikasa’s way, from a distance of course, no one had the balls to say it to her face. She honestly couldn’t care less, kids will be kids, but she could see the way Eren tensed anytime someone offered her a place at their party, the line of his jaw she could see beneath the mask clenched.

“Oh, come on babe, just ignore them.”

He nodded, but she could still see that he didn’t relax. Leaning closer, she hooked an arm through his, whispering into his ear.

“You’re cute when you are possessive.”

“What? I’m not possessive!”

Mikasa just grinned.

“Selfish.”, she teased, watching his cheeks color a bit. But he finally did relax and threw his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. 

It didn’t take them long to reach their destination, the bar’s lights shining into the darkness. Pushing the door open, they were hit by a wave of music, heat and laughter, indicating that the party was already in full swing. There were a lot of people, as Sasha invited basically everyone she knew, and the conversation seemed to be flowing everywhere, combining with the beat from the speakers which suggested the hostess was also the DJ for the night. Even Carla was present, dressed as a construction worker, talking with Levi in a dark suit. What was he supposed to be?

“Eren! Mikasa! There you are!”, speak of the devil. The brown-haired girl appeared as out of nowhere, wheeling to them with a broad grin on her face. She was wearing a racing suit, and her wheelchair had some cardboard pieces attached, making it look like a car, if you squinted hard enough. But she gave them no time to inspect her costume, already ushering them further in. “There’s tons of alcohol, so I hope you are both thirsty,”, she leaned a bit closer, voice dropping into a whisper, “Connie even said that I ordered too much, that there is no way we can drink it all, I absolutely must prove him wrong. Eren, I’m counting on you.” Judging from her reddened face and the way she talked, it was clear to see that she was doing her part already. 

“Eren!”, a new voice boomed, and an armored figure made its way through the crowds. Onya appeared, grinning wide, holding a cup in one hand while waving with the other. His eyes slid over Eren’s costume before moving over to Mikasa, gaze lingering just a fraction of a second longer on her chest and hips before moving back up. “Nice suits.”, he said, saluting with his cup.

“Thanks, but who are you?”, Eren frowned, “Can’t recognize it.”

“I’m commander Zavala, isn’t it obvious? Well, I mean I’m supposed to be blue, but whatever, this is good enough.”

Eren and Mikasa exchanged a quick look.

“Who?”, asked Catwoman for a change.

“Oh, you guys never played Destiny?”, seeing them both shake their heads, Onya sighed, “Well, your loss. Anyway…”, gaze turning predatory, he turned to sneakily inspect a few backsides, nodding to himself, “I’m off, fellow Vanguards, to find and guide new guardians, for the Traveler always needs protection.”, he gave them a look over his shoulder, “And as I am the strongest titan, my students might require my help”, he winked at them, “ in the bedroom.” And he was gone.

“I have no idea what he was talking about.”, said Eren after a while, scratching the back of his cowl.

“Me neither. But look, isn’t that Armin?”

It surely was, leaning on the counter apparently in a conversation with Hitch in a doctor coat and glasses, as they came closer, Armin noticed them, pushing himself off the wood and turning to face them. 

“Eren, Mikasa, so good to see you.”

“Hey Armin, how often are the “we live in a society” jokes coming.”

The blond just shrugged.

“Could be worse.”

The Joker costume he had was good, even though the white makeup was a bit smudged around the mouth, most likely caused by the drinking. As Eren was the greatest detective, it didn’t take him long to notice the Dr. Quinzel tag on Hitch’s coat, quickly connecting the dots. 

“Well, my worst enemy and his most trusted sidekick, why don’t we have a drink?”

No one said no to that.

 

The night progressed steadily, as everyone except Hitch did their best to drain the apparently unending supply of alcohol. Connie came around, dressed in his vault dweller suit, and after exchanging a few words pulled Eren away from the group for a quick private talk.

“Listen,”, he said, looking left and right to see if anyone was eavesdropping. No one was. “I need to talk to you about something.”

He sounded serious, so Eren cleared his already a bit buzzing head with a shake. 

“Of course, what do you need?”

“It’s probably nothing, but…”, he paused for a moment looking for the right words, “lately, Sasha is acting…. Weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Sometimes she’s really withdrawn and non-talkative, and a few times I walked in on her talking with someone over the phone, and she always hung up quickly, so I couldn’t hear what it was about. She never was like that before.”

“It might be nothing, women are weird sometimes.”, even a bit drunk, Eren felt like that wasn’t the right medical solution, so he tried again, “But it might also be something connected to the change of her condition. It would be rather late, but still, some internal depression can take a long time to surface.”, he risked a quick look over his shoulder, where Mikasa was just speaking with Hitch, taping her clawed finger on the surface of the counter. “I could talk to Hitch about it if you want, she’s the expert.”

Connie thought about it for a moment but shook his head in the end. “Nah, not now. But if she keeps it up, you think you could maybe set up a meeting with the psychiatrist?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, thanks buddy.”, Connie clapped him on the shoulder, looking a good bit more relieved, He straightened, looking left and right, brows furrowing. “I should go and find Sasha, have a good time.”

When Eren returned to the group, they were just discussing Mikasa’s photoshoot, and her future with the company. 

“You didn’t tell me that your girlfriend is a model.”, Hitch said when he drew near, taking a tiny sip of her wine. Unlike others, she drank very slowly, and the glass she was holding was just her second one, as she apparently had no intention to get wasted.

“It’s kinda recent and…”, whatever he wanted to say was interrupted, because just then a newcomer appeared.

“Ah, if it isn’t the most overrated superhero in existence.”

Whirling around, Eren found himself standing face to face with Jean, who was dressed in a Superman costume, his red cape flowing behind him. 

“What are you supposed to be?”, Eren feigned ignorance, leaning closer to inspect the S on Jean’s chest. “Superdork?”

“That was weak.”, whispered Mikasa next to him, shaking her head.

Meh.

“Isn’t it obvious?”, out of nowhere Jean pulled out a pair of glasses, setting them on his nose, “I’m Clark Kent.”

Everyone chuckled, because hey, that one was pretty good, but Hitch seemed most amused by it, her eyes scanning over the newcomer’s form with clear interest. One that was very much returned. 

“Mind if I talk to your lovely companion Joker?”, Jean asked, sliding into the place next to Hitch with an easy smile. Armin just shrugged, not really caring. He liked Hitch, but only as a friend, he had no intentions of making any moves on her. Especially when the wound in his heart left by Annie was just slowly starting to mend. Joined by Jean, the party went on.

 

Hitch watched Jean over the rim of her glass, eyes traveling everywhere she wanted her hands to be. He was really a piece of work, this guy, even taller than Eren and very well built. At first, she thought that he was wearing the fake muscle suit underneath his Superman one, to fill it just like the hero would, but when she asked him about it, he let her touch him to prove that everything she saw was his own flesh and blood. But physical attraction wasn’t the only thing that kept her eyes trained on him. For all his easy smiles and laughter, it was easy for her to pierce that shroud to notice the little things that gave him away. Like the fact that his own gaze kept sliding over to Mikasa, no matter how many times he pulled it back. Or that his fingers always gripped the glass a bit tighter whenever Eren did anything intimate, like kissing her, or just brushing the ends of her hair with his fingers. There was a lot of jealousy in him, but it was hidden, carefully built over by years and years of coming to terms, friendship, and other things. Yet the barriers were slowly giving in, as the combination of alcohol and the fact that Mikasa was wearing a skin tight catsuit, sitting just across the table, was corroding away at the bars of the prison where he locked his hurt feelings in. The banter he and Eren shared kept getting snarkier, mostly from Jean’s side, but the doctor was too drunk or relaxed, or perhaps the combination of both, to notice, just chuckling where other men would get upset. Hitch did love a more complicated issues, loved uncovering them and unraveling the knots that her patients had tied themselves in, it came to her naturally. Not like she didn’t have enough work right now, with her regular patients and Armin combined, but she would never say no to a fun new project, and this guy sitting next to her seemed like the prime example. With deft fingers, she undid the top button of her shirt and sat a bit straighter, getting Jean’s attention with a decent cough. Time to set the bait and see if he bites.

 

Time flies deceptively fast when one is having fun, the effect only worsened by the heavy drinking. Guests were slowly but surely giving in, some leaving, commander Zavala retreating with a new guardian under each arm, some just simply collapsing on the floor to sleep the rest of the party away. As the first rays of the sun streamed in through the windows, Eren found himself in the bathroom, staring at his reflection in the mirror and wondering why the hell was he laughing. Oh right, must have been because he met Levi on the way here, sitting at one table with Hange sleeping soundly sprawled all over the desk, muttering,” I’m not a tick.”, to himself with half a bottle of vodka in left hand. Sasha was still wheeling around like a hyperactive squirrel, while Connie gave up and sat down to rest his legs for a moment, playing with a shot glass. 

“How can she do that?”, he asked passing Eren, “Where does the energy comes from?”

“It just works.”, was all the doctor could offer.

Thoughts clean, he was just about to leave and walk back to the table when a hand gripped his forearm and pulled him into the woman’s bathroom, and right after someone was kissing him. It wasn’t hard to identify the assailant, both from the strength of her hold and the fact that the lips underneath his were the ones he knew so intimately. 

“Miki, why are we making out in the bathroom?”, he asked when she had to pull back to breathe, very proud of himself that his brain managed to put such a long sentence together while under influence of so much alcohol.

“Dunno.”, she shrugged before going back in, and soon Eren decided that why should it matter. If she wants to kiss him, she very well can, he doesn’t mind. But when her fingers slipped under his armor to cup his crotch, he pulled back on his own, staring down at the grinning Catwoman. 

“Wait… You…”, wait, how was it called again? “Wanna... Here?”

Somehow, she understood him. She always did.

“Don’t you?”, she countered, pressing herself close to him, her tight clothing giving no space for imagination. 

Instead of an answer, he kissed her again, and soon his own hand moved up to the zipper at the front of her catsuit, but she stopped him abruptly.

“No time…There’s a…”, Mikasa giggled when she couldn’t remember the word, the amount of stuff she drank having a clear effect on her as well. Speaking betraying her, she turned around instead and grabbed Eren’s hand, guiding it between her legs. Oh, he could feel it now. There was a smaller zipper right there, hidden beneath the fold of the fabric, but as he tried gripping it the tiny thing kept sliding out of his fingers, much to his lover’s amusement. Growling, he shed his own gloves, finally managing to grab the treacherous piece of steel and drag it open. When he pushed her underwear aside and slid a finger inside her, her giggles turned into a moan, back arching to a perfect curve that made his mouth water. Perhaps he should have spent a longer time in preparing her, but he just couldn’t wait, not anymore, so withdrawing his digit, he pushed himself in instead, in a one quick motion, the suddenness of it making her cry out. They both stilled after, eyes wide, hoping that no one will come running. After a few seconds, Mikasa’s body started shaking with a silent laughter, as she was covering her mouth with a hand. 

“We gotta be silent.”, Eren whispered into her ear, kissing the skin beneath her cowl.

“I know, I know. Just move.”, she whispered back, the want clear from her voice. 

Just as he pulled his hips back, someone knocked at the door. 

“Mikasa? Is that you?”

Sasha’s voice rang on the other side of the door, concern in it.

“You okay?”, she asked.

“Yeah, it’s me, everything is great, I’m…”, just as she was about to finish her sentence however, Eren pushed back in which in turn made her moan and knock her head against the wall, the steel tipped gloves scratching against the wood. 

“Miks? Should I come in? Miks?”

“NO!”, she cleared her throat, exchanging a horrified look with Eren, who mouthed a quick sorry her way, as neither of them wanted to be caught in a position like this. With your pants down, literally. “I’m fine, really. Just give me a moment.”

“All right….”, there was still some suspicion in Sasha’s voice, but she decided not to press the issue. “If you see Eren, tell him that we won, we drank everything.”

“Sure.”, Mikasa looked over her shoulder at her boyfriend, eyes narrowed in amusement, “If I’ll see him, I’ll tell him.”

There was a sound as Sasha wheeled herself away, followed by relative silence.

“Miki I…”, he began, but she held up a finger to shush him.

“Just fuck me.”, she ordered.

So, he did.

When they finally came back, hand in hand, the party was just about done, with majority of the people either gone or sleeping. Armin was sitting at the table where they left him, head on the wood, but both Jean and Hitch were gone. Deciding that it was about time to take their own leave, they said their goodbyes to Sasha, who somehow made it through the night completely fine, and left, feeling as satisfied as a human being can possibly be.

 

“Fuck, Mikasa I…”

The woman above him froze, and the naked man realized his mistake, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Mikasa?”, she asked.

“I... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean… I’m just drunk and….”

A finger pressed against his lips, as Hitch inspected Jean’s face from up close, cocking her head to the side. Oh, she did love being right. Getting him hooked was easy enough, maybe even a bit easier than she originally expected. Soon after Eren excused himself for the bathroom, Mikasa finished her drink and slid down from her seat, following. It was rather clear what her intent was, but then again, Hitch was most likely the only sober person in the room, so others might not be as perceptive as she was at the moment. Jean’s eyes didn’t leave the retreating Catwoman’s rear for a second, the usual reserves ebbed away by the flow of the alcohol. All Hitch had to do afterwards was a quick suggestion, and soon they were leaving together, a softly snoring Armin at the table remaining behind. Now that she had him, it was time for some fun.

“Displacement huh? That’s an interesting symptom.”, the finger that was pressed against him slid down his jaw, angling it to the side, “But I don’t mind.” Jean could feel her hot breath as she kissed his cheek, whispering against his skin. 

“I’ll be your Mikasa for the night.” 

Well, more like morning, she thought to herself as her new lover flipped their positions, looming over her in the streaming light. Mapping the contours of his broad back with the tips of her fingers, she allowed herself to smile.

She was going to enjoy this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also managed to sneak in the request which was Eren and Mikasa going at it and someone interrupting them. Hope you liked it!
> 
> Till next time!


	52. Hangover

“Fuck, my head hurts.”

Jean woke with this singular thought resonating through his mind, eyes opening to the faint morning light. As a night of heavy drinking was nothing new to him, he slowly sat up, and started collecting the clues from around him, to asses his current situation in the best possible way. His surroundings were familiar, even in the dim light, and it didn’t take him long to realize that he was, in fact, in his own hotel room, the one he was staying at while helping Sasha rebuild the bar. Good. Next, his eyes traveled over the bed taking in the state it was in, and soon glided over a certain lump on the other side. Right, so he wasn’t alone here. As if it was waiting for this, the shape groaned and turned on the other side, revealing that it was a woman, very pretty one too, and he realized that he knew who it was. Hitch. The memories came flooding in. Even in the relative darkness of the room, Jean was sure that his cheeks have just colored to red. Deciding to take a swift exit and think about stuff later, he sneaked out of the bed and started collecting his clothes, doing as little noise as possible. For all his courage, he didn’t really feel like discussing his slip up from last night. Sure, his companion didn’t seem to mind back then, but he was rather sure she wouldn’t give it such an easy pass now, when her carnal instincts weren’t in control of her actions. Jean actually managed to get his pants on, but just as he was reaching for his shirt, a familiar voice spoke.

“Sneaking out on me huh? Damn, the last time that happened must have been like five years ago. How the time flies.”

He turned around with an awkward grin plastered to his face, regarding Hitch who watched him with amused expression, running a hand through her shoulder length hair, tussled from sleep.

“Hi.”, he croaked.

“Hi.”

“You know,”, Jean broke the awkward silence that followed, scratching the back of his head, “can’t you just pretend that you didn’t wake and go back to sleep? I’ll get out and you can take your time leaving afterwards.”

“Why? Was I that bad?”

“No! That’s not it, its just…”, suddenly he didn’t know where to look, “I just feel bad about the shit I said yesterday. I’m sorry, really.”

“Aw, are you still thinking about that? That’s cute.”

He looked up with a crooked eyebrow.

“Cute?”

“Indeed. Men can be so obsessed about such little things, but on the other hand they can completely ignore much bigger problems staring directly in their face. I said it last night and I’ll say it again.”, the easy tone of her voice finally did make him look up at her, and she rewarded him with a bright smile, “I really didn’t mind.”

“Right. Well,”, Jean crossed the room and sat down in his chair, relaxing back, “that means that I just tried bailing out on you for no reason at all. My asshole points are accumulating.” 

Hitch laughed at that and he realized that the sound is rather pleasing. 

“For real though.”, he continued, “It’s nice that we are having a real heart to heart and stuff, but I should tell you that I’m not really looking for a relationship right now.”

“That’s fine.”, she shrugged, “Neither am I. We can always just be friends.”

“With benefits?”, he suggested, hoping that he deciphered her body language right.

“I won’t say no that.”

Her eyes traveled up over his shirtless form, but Jean could see that under the guise of physical attraction was something else, an ulterior motive why she jumped so easily on his offer. He didn’t really feel like getting fooled first thing in the morning. 

“I still can’t shake the feeling that you look at me as a patient, not a friend.”, he tried, watching her for a reaction.

“Ah, that’s just natural for me, I’ve been doing my job for some time now.”, she held up a finger, “But I’ll say that I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to talk about your psychological struggles, I find them rather interesting.”

“I’m not sure I could afford you.”

“I’ll give you a discount.”, she smiled, “For your first session, you have to buy me breakfast. Coffee and two, actually no, three croissants, we burned a lot of calories last night.”, she stretched back on the bed, pulling the cover over herself, “Delivery included.”

Shaking his head, Jean finished dressing and headed out of the hotel room, only making a quick stop at the reception to ask where the nearest bakery was.

When he did return, Hitch was already up and at 'em, as he could deduce from seeing that the bed was empty and that the water was running in the bathroom. He prepared the breakfast table as best as he could and sat down sipping his own coffee while reading the newspapers. He could always just check the internet on his phone, but for some reason he just liked the feeling of the paper beneath his fingers. Call him old fashioned if you want. It didn’t take long for Hitch to join him, hair damp for a change.

“This is nicely domestic.”, she said, sitting down on the other side of the table and picking through the things he bought.

“Just two friends, having a friendly breakfast together.”, Jean couldn’t hold back his grin, “As friends.”

“After spending the night doing other friendly things.”

“Indeed. Very friendly, one might say.”

“So,”, she began, after finishing one of the croissants and taking another, “since your fee is paid in full, do you want to talk?”

Jean set the newspaper down, leaning back in his char.

“I honestly don’t even know how to begin.”

“Luckily, you have me for that. I would ask you some questions, for starters, and we can work from there.”

“All right,”, he took a sip of his coffee, “what do you wanna know?”

“Let’s go with something easy. How long has this crush thing been going on?”

“Ever since I first saw her.”, the coffee started tasting sour all of sudden, “Just like in some fucked up fairy tale.”, seeing that Hitch motioned him to continue, he went on. “I remember that when I first met her, back at the same college party where she got to know Eren, I told her that her hair looked really nice.”, he took a deep breath, the memories not exactly pleasant, “It still does.”

“What did she say?”

“Thanks.”

“And?”

“That was it. She said thanks and stopped paying any attention to me. And I gave up.”, Jean traced the rim of his cup with a fingertip, “Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I didn’t.”

“What then?”

“Well, she started dating Eren, so I did my best to avoid them during my college years. After that, I got a job and moved away, and I honestly didn’t even think about her for a long, long time.”

“Did you have any relationships during those years?”, Hitch asked, “And I mean longer than one-night stands, mind you.”

“Yes, I did actually. Longest thing went on for half a year before we broke up.”, he grimaced, “And before you ask, the slip up that I said last night with you never happened before, I swear. This was the first time. And the last.”

Hitch didn’t seem bothered by the revelation that he had relationships before, or that she was the only one he ever took for someone else in bed. But even with her somehow effortlessly keeping her cool, he felt the need to explain himself, because fuck, he really felt like a dick.

“I honestly didn’t even think about her, back when I was gone. It’s just…”, it was rather hard to explain, or maybe he just felt that way, but the words weren’t easy to find, “the fact that we see each other on almost daily basis, and that she and Eren are just…. I don’t know, so close? Or just that you can’t go a day without seeing them fucking make out or shit like that, I don’t know.”, running out of things to say, he threw his hands up in surrender. 

“Oh yes, it’s easy to notice how public they are in their…. sexuality.”, Hitch finished her coffee, mentally taking notes, “I don’t even think that they realize it.”

“But that’s just the thing.”, Jean leaned back forward, fixing her with a stare, “I know that this is going to sound cheesy as fuck, but I never believed in soulmates and shit until I met those two. I mean, don’t you think that words like love don’t even come close to describe what they have?”

“And you feel angry, because your crush is sharing this kind of bond with a person that’s not you. Sounds rough.”, if he only knew how much she related to him right now.

“Worst thing is, that I don’t think I even want to be with her at this point.”

“Why’s that?” 

So, he didn’t even want to have a relationship with the girl he’s been crushing on for the past years. Interesting.

“It’s just… Let’s say that tomorrow she and Eren break up, and she comes to me and says that she loves me now or some shit. I don’t think I could do it.”, Jean tried getting another sip of his drink, only to realize that the cup was empty, so he set it down on the table instead, interlacing his fingers. “Because I would always think of myself as the second choice, understand? The fallback plan. The backup. And I don’t want that. Even if she would say that she wants to be with me, I don’t think that I could ever believe her, not after seeing her with him.”, he let out a mirthless laugh, “It’s stupid, isn’t it?”

“No, I don’t think so.”, Hitch tapped the table with her finger, gears turning in her head, “It’s important to be satisfied with a relationship, not just step back and let your partner walk all over you. I think that I understand how you feel.”, she sighed, “I was supposed to help you with your trouble, but It seems like you are the one who gave me a lot to think about.”

“Well.”, Jean picked up his empty cup, “You want to continue this over another coffee?”

Hitch smiled.

“Just let me get dressed.”

 

“Hey, Miki.”

“Hmpf.”

“Did you try killing me last night?”

There was a sound of rustled sheets from the bedroom, indicating that she turned in the bed. 

“Can’t say I remember that.”

Eren snorted, turning his torso to see the damage better. In short, he was a mess. His tongue felt abused, as was his manhood, there was a lot of scratches covering him, both on his back and front, as no part of his body seemed to escape Mikasa’s attention last night. In addition to that, he had underlying whip marks on his back, which he couldn’t remember receiving, and a myriad of bites. He was rather sure that if he said that he wrestled a tiger into submission last night, nobody would call him a liar. 

“You sure?”, he asked, coming back to the bedroom to grin at his fiancé, who greeted him with bloodshot eyes. Oh yea, she was having a bad case of hangover. Eren himself could also feel a faint thumping in the temples, but he could hold his liquor better than Mikasa. 

“Yes.”, she regarded him over the edge of the blanket which she had pulled all the way up to her nose, “But if you keep talking, I might just go ahead and try it.”

“I’m still rather sure you did try last night.”, he countered, turning around so she could see the damage she caused. “You didn’t take the clawed gloves off, did you.”

“I did.”, although he couldn’t see her face, he was rather sure she was smiling, “In the morning.”, she gestured around the room, “they are here somewhere.”

Just like Eren’s body was a mess, so was their bedroom. Pieces of costumes were everywhere with cuffs and other toys in between, Mikasa’s whip lying in the middle of it all, indicating that whatever happened last night, it was a wild ride. As if the marks on him weren’t a clear giveaway. 

“You know,”, he continued teasing, “you don’t have to take out your anger on me all the time, I’m not sure my frail body can handle it.”

“Oh?”, her eyes narrowed, “You think you are the only one with something to show?”

With that, she pulled the blanked down, revealing her neck and shoulders, which also had a multitude of bite marks.

“That’s noth…”

She continued, bringing her chest into view. Someone, and Eren had the creeping feeling that he knew who, really went to town there. Bruises, bites, and whatnot were spread all around that area, making him wonder just how long he spend on creating them. 

“Okay…, but I still win.”, he pointed towards his back, “Those scratches take the cake.”

She arched an eyebrow at him, and kicked the cover away, fully showing herself. His gaze slid all over her, and soon found her trump card. Her inner thighs took the worst of it, being even more marked than her chest was, and she had a few bites even on her calves and feet. God damn it, what did they do last night? Rolling on her stomach, she showed him that even her ass didn’t escape him, marked with a few dark blue spots and a number of faded welts. In addition to that, as she showed him after coming back to rest on her back, her wrists and ankles had red circles around them, indicating that she was bound at some point, and as was usual for her fought against it with all her might. 

“All right, fine, can’t beat that.”, he surrendered. “I’ll just go and make some breakfast, you stay here and…. Lick your wounds.”

The pillow knocked on the door which he promptly closed, going down the steps with an easy smile. Mikasa decided that she’s in no condition to walk, stating that her legs feel super wobbly, so he brought her food upstairs, and after that Eren cleaned to the best of his ability, while she remained tucked in bed, moaning at every sound he made. After he was done, the house fell eerily quiet, and he found himself with nothing to do. He was certainly in no condition to work, and while he was handling his hangover much better than she was, he certainly didn’t think that the flashing lights of a video game would do him much good. Wandering aimlessly back into the relatively clean bedroom, he lay down next to her, watching the ceiling. Soon after, Mikasa rolled on the other side, resting her head on his chest, hands reaching out to wrap around his torso, while she threw one of her legs over his. Just as he was about to make a witty comment about her stealing his body warmth once again, she pressed a finger against his lips. 

“Shh.”, was all she said, not even bothering to open her eyes.

He thought about replying for a moment, but in the end decided that she would most likely punch him for it, so he hugged her instead, pressing his nose into her hair. She always did smell nice.

Outside, the first day of November was slowly passing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I wanted to do a thing here.  
> But I ended up not doing it.  
> Next time, the thing should be there.
> 
> Till next time!


	53. No Nut November

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot take credit for this idea, as it was suggested to me both on tumblr and here on AO3.  
> Yes, I know it's late, but same as Halloween, better late than never, right?
> 
> Enjoy!

“So how is my favorite Halloween gang? “

“More like never drink again gang. “

“You always say that Jean boy,”, said Eren, closing the bar door behind himself and coming to sit next to Armin, “but in the end, the calling of the bottle always overwhelms you.”

Jean just grunted something and finished his coke in a single large gulp, grimacing. Honestly speaking, the hangover wasn’t bad at all, but it was much easier to claim that he spent the day after the party nursing his headache, instead of confessing that he was with Hitch the whole time. 

“Aren’t we supposed to be like…working?”, Eren asked, seeing that while almost everyone from the bar renovation squad was there, all of them were just sitting around the table, staring into nothingness.

“We took a day off.”, replied Connie, offering him a weak smile, “Since the women aren’t there, no one is bossing us around so,”, he saluted with his own coke, “chilling time.”

Mikasa was having combat training with Levi, and seeing that neither Sasha nor Carla were present, it was really just a male company after all. Well, Eren wouldn’t argue with that. Nodding in approval, he opened his own bottle and took a sip, the cold beverage hitting the spot after his shift at the hospital. 

“The thing that you said earlier...”, Jean muttered into the silence, “Were you suggesting that I have a drinking problem?”

“I’m not suggesting anything, friend, I’m simply pointing out the fact that from everyone present, you are the one with the biggest thirst.”, he winked at him, “And that goes for other stuff than alcohol too.”

The words brought back his embarrassing moment with Hitch and the conversation they had afterwards, and Jean could feel his ears coloring. 

“You don’t know shit about me.”, he growled, maybe more aggressively than necessary, which made the attention of everyone present shift to him. Trying to save face, he hunched over his empty drink, frowning. “I mean, you can’t even drink as much as you want to anyway, you’re just jealous.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well you see, even if you wanted to live a bit crazier life, Mikasa wouldn’t let you.”, Jean grinned mischievously.

“Damn, so my girlfriend won’t let me become an alcoholic. And that’s a bad thing…. because?”

“It’s just one of many symptoms of the same cause.”, looking Eren right into the eyes, he tapped the empty bottle with his finger,” You, my friend, are pussywhipped.”

He raised an eyebrow at that.

“I’m what now?”

“Subservient to your one and only, you know, letting her take the lead in most of the things, you catch my drift, don’t you?”

Eren’s eyes flew over to Onya, who was doing his best to hide his amusement in his drink. The man never betrayed his trust and told anyone about the thing he saw in the showers, but he did like poking fun at Eren from time to time. 

“I mean, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing, if you don’t mind letting her wear the pants in your relationship.”, Jean continued, “But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m right.”

“I think that you are the one that knows shit, horseface,”, Eren leaned over to Jean and poked him right in the middle of the chest,” no one asked you for your expert relationship advices, coming from someone whose longest lasted for an hour.”

“Easy man,”, Jean put his hands up in a mock surrender, “I didn’t mean anything by it.” Just as Eren leaned back however, he muttered under his breath. “Pussywhipped.”

Eren bolted from his chair. 

“You little…”

“Hey! Chill! Both of you!”, Connie shouted, quickly standing up himself and coming to stand between the two men, separating them. “Can you act like grownups? For like, I dunno, five fucking minutes?”

“That’s a tall order.”, growled Eren, “When I’m surrounded by people like him.”

“What are you so angry about?”, Jean was grinning when he sat back down, finally retrieving a new bottle of coke, “The truth hurts that much?”

“I’m not fucking pussywhipped, asshole, you don’t know shit.”

Jean took a slow sip of his drink, setting it down on the table dramatically.

“No? Prove it then.”

“How?”, Eren shrugged, “Become an alcoholic?”

“Nah, nothing as serious as that. But why don’t we here,”, Jean gestured around himself with the bottle, “have a little challenge. How about we do No Nut November, all of us?”

He was met with silence.

“The what now?”, asked Armin.

“What? You haven’t heard about it?”, Jean looked seriously surprised at that, “Don’t you guys have phones? Internet? Come on, what century is it, seriously…”

“Hey man,”, Connie chimed in, “how about you stop acting like a smartass and just tell us.”

“I mean, its kinda said in the name. If you enter the challenge, you can’t nut for a month. That’s about it.”

“Like, no…erm…sex? For a month?”, Onya looked horrified by the prospect.

“Yup. No masturbation, wanking, hog squeezing, none of that.”

“For a whole month?”

“Yup.”

“Well, “, the black man shook his head, “you guys have fun, but I’m out. The juices of the body must flow freely, otherwise your spirit gets infected.”

“Party pooper,”, Jean turned back towards Eren, “What about you? Can you say no to Mikasa for a month? Or are you exactly as pussywhipped as I said you are?”

“Screw you. For your information, if you are doing it, then I’m in too.”, Eren made a rude gesture towards his friend, “Let’s see who’s the pussy here.”

“Well okay then.”, Jean grinned, in his mind, his victory was inevitable. Oh, the shit he would throw Eren’s way after he won, that is going to be glorious. “What about the others. Armin? Connie?”

The two exchanged a look, and Armin shrugged.

“Sure, why not.”

Connie didn’t look as sold as the blond was, but he didn’t want to join the no-fun team with Onya, so he agreed too. 

“Right.”, Jean raised his drink, “May the man with the strongest will win.”

 

The first week was easy. Mikasa didn’t seem to notice his lack of advances towards her, and she didn’t try anything herself for a good amount of time. The only little hurdle to overcome came the fifth day, but all Eren had to do when her hand slid under his jeans was to pull back with an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry babe, I’m just not feeling it tonight.”

“Ah, okay.”, she shrugged, withdrawing her hand and putting her head on his shoulder instead. “Is everything fine?”

“Yea of course,”, he leaned over to press a kiss to her hair, “I’m just tired that’s all.”

And that was it.

On weekend, he smartly set up a silent alarm for himself early, so he could sneak out of the bed while she was still asleep. Mikasa did love lazy morning sex, and the excuse that he was tired wouldn’t really work when the day was just starting. If she noticed anything out of ordinary, she didn’t comment on it.

 

The second week was much worse. For starters, she started to be the more active party, and Eren was very quickly running out of excuses. The breaking point came on Saturday, when she resolutely climbed into his lap in the evening and started their usual routine by aggressively kissing him. He pulled back as soon as she started grinding her hips into his, which made her look at him with a clear question in her expression.

“Just... not feeling it….”

“Eren, what’s wrong?”, she asked, clearly not buying the same excuse again, “What’s happening? Talk to me, please.”

“It’s nothing, really.”, he still couldn’t meet her eyes.

Mikasa was really confused. Physically, he was certainly fine, she could feel his hardness pressing into her inner thigh through the barrier of the clothes between them. Well, if the problem didn’t lie in him, there was only one other party to blame.

“Is…Is something wrong with me?”, she asked in a much quieter voice.

“What? No! Of course not!”

Fuck, he certainly didn’t want this, didn’t want Mikasa doubting her beauty just because of some stupid bet. Eren took a deep breath, he had to tell her the truth, otherwise she would most likely blame herself.

“Listen,”, he said, getting her attention, “It’s just… it’s just a challenge, between the guys at the bar.”

Mikasa cocked her head to the side, confused.

“What kind of challenge?”

“We…uhm… we can’t have sex, any of us. For a month.”

There, the truth was out. 

“No sex?”, she asked, confusion rising “But why?”

“It’s not for any reason, really, just a challenge.”, he smiled at her reassuringly, “I want to make love to you, I really do, but I can’t let Jean win.” 

“Oh Eren,”, she laughed, relieved, “You are such a kid sometimes.”

He shrugged, embarrassed, so she kissed him, just because she could. He could be childish from time to time, but she loved him, nonetheless.

 

The third week was torture. And it wasn’t even Mikasa’s fault, but Eren slowly but surely realized, that living with someone who looked like she just stepped out of your wildest wet dream wasn’t really helping him to complete the challenge. She didn’t try to make him fail, she always wore just shorts and old, shrunk tops to bed, or his shirts, which ended just in the middle of her ass, looking just delicious in any of those things. Sleeping was terrible too, because they always cuddled together, and Eren discovered that his body simply won’t sleep unless she’s as close to him as humanly possible. And even when he did fall asleep while facing away from her, both on their own half of the bed, he woke up in the middle of the night just to see that they were tangled together again, right in the middle. 

Mikasa even supported him, to a degree, for example stopped sitting on his lap when they watched movies or didn’t even try and invite him to take a shower with her. But that didn’t matter. He got painfully hard even if she just came back form a run, sweaty and in her tracksuit, pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and went to clean herself. Because sitting on the couch, he could hear the water running, and he knew that he could join her, she wouldn’t mind, the opposite really, press her into the slick walls of the bathroom and suck on her neck while she would moan into his ear, he could bury himself as deep as….

No. Eren slapped himself, literally, growling in frustration. Fuck Jean and fuck his stupid challenges. Pitching a massive tent in his pants, Eren retreated to a relative safety of the kitchen, doing his best to busy himself. Yet he could still hear the water.  
The third weekend Mikasa went out to meet with Sasha, and after the up-and-coming bar owner declared that she’s hungry, not surprising her friend in the slightest, they decided to grab some food from a street vendor, settling on hot dogs. 

“This...”, Sasha said, watching her food with a sad eye, “This is the closest thing to getting a dick for me in the last three weeks.”

Mikasa did her best not to choke on her own portion.

“W-What are you saying?”

“It’s just that Connie is doing some dumbass challenge where he can’t have sex for a month.”, Sasha took a huge bite, chewing angrily, “It’s annoying as hell.”, she concluded, speaking with her mouth full.

“Tell me about it.”, Mikasa shook her head, completely agreeing with her friend.

“Wait… Eren is also doing it?”, seeing the raven nod, Sasha grinned, “Dumbasses, all of them. I’m not going back to my own fingers when I have a perfectly healthy boyfriend, god damn it!”, she sighed, “You know what, I should let you in on my little plan.”, leaning closer she started whispering, “Since they want to prove the strength of their mind or some shit, why don’t we… really test them.”, seeing that Mikasa was still confused, she quickly explained. “I was thinking that I could dig out some lingerie, put it on, wait for him in the bedroom…. See if he takes the bait or stays pure. Understand?”

“Ooh,”, Mikasa’s eyes narrowed,” That could be fun.”

“I know right!”, Sasha leaned back, grinning, “I mean, if he still says no, I’m definitely not going to force him or anything, buuut I have the feeling that he won’t.”

Mikasa thought about Sasha’s plan on the way back, with the cold November wind whipping at her leather jacket and around her helmet, as she sped her bike through the city. She had some big guns in her arsenal, but honestly speaking, she didn’t want to make Eren lose. Well, not 100% at least. Speaking from experience, there was no way he would resist if she put on the nurse, the catsuit, or just the cat ears, really, but that felt like cheating. No, she wouldn’t hit him with any of those, she wanted to tempt him, not completely destroy any speck of dedication he had left. There had to be another way.

Eren watched her suspiciously when she came down to the living room, where he was finishing some reports on a laptop, with a training mat under her arm, but she ignored him and started setting her stuff up. 

“Wh... Ehm... What’s up?”, he asked, having to cough to get his voice under control. Not that she blamed him, after all, the yoga pants she had were tight enough to rival the catsuit, and the cropped top did nothing to hide her midriff from view. Mikasa knew that Eren had a thing for that part of her body.

“Oh this? That’s nothing, honey. I’m just going to stretch before workout.”, she smiled radiantly at him, “Don’t want to pull a muscle.”

“Yea, of course, be careful.”, he murmured, and she smiled again before turning her back at him. So, he did his best to go back to work. 

Yet even his best effort to ignore her were met with the reality he had to accept. The reports were boring, Mikasa’s ass was not. More and more often he caught himself staring, mesmerized, as she went on with her stretching, seemingly obvious to the effect it had on him. Damn, he knew she was flexible, but she could do this? And that? Eren had to actually wipe a trickle of drool from his chin, because that thing in front of him, that was a delicious fucking meal. One he was denying himself. When she arched her back, he was reminded of all the times she made this perfect curve while beneath him, or on top of him, or in front, and he realized one thing. If he wanted any hope to finish the challenge, he couldn’t stay here. He had to leave, and fast. 

“Something wrong, baby?”, she asked, innocence dripping from every word, when she watched him scramble to his feet, looking every bit as a hunted animal. 

“It’s…Work… Stuff…. Gotta go.”, fast as lightning, he bolted out of the door, “Love you!”, he shouted, and was gone. That’s when Mikasa couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. 

Fifteen minutes later, he was pounding on Armin’s door, expression haunted. 

“She’s a demon, Armin, a succubus.”, Eren was saying with wide eyes, sitting at the table when his friend did invite him in. “I can’t do it anymore, I’m not strong enough.”

The blond groaned, not believing what he was hearing.

“Just tell her, man, why are you stressing it like this?”

“It’s not just that.”, Eren looked downright on the edge of breaking, “It’s…. Everything. She’s too perfect, man, and I want to touch her again, so fucking much, make scream my name, let her ride me hard enough to…”

“Hey!”, Armin raised a hand,” Too much information.”

“Right, right, sorry.”, at least he had the decency to look a bit embarrassed, “Anyway, as I was saying, I can’t stay home, so I was wondering, can I sleep here? Till the end of the month?”

“No.”

“Ehm. Okay…”, Eren didn’t expect that kind of answer, that was for sure, “Thanks for your help buddy.”

“Dude, just listen to yourself!”, Armin really just wanted to slap the guy, he was acting like such a moron again, “Are you seriously going to run from home, from the woman you love, for a fucking week because of a stupid challenge?”

“Yes but…”

“You are actually dense as fuck. If you plan on avoiding Mikasa for the remainder of the month just because of a dumb bet with Jean, then I really got no words for you. Putting this November thing over just a single day with a loved one is stupid, but a whole week?”, Armin shook his head, “Never figured you would be so easily influenced.”

“Wow.”, Eren finally said, after being silent for a time, “I’m really acting like an asshole, aren’t I?”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, buddy.”

“I…Uhm...”, he stood up, “I better head back. Thanks, Armin, seems like you are picking some therapy stuff from Hitch.”

Armin waved his hand.

“Just go.”

When he came back home, Mikasa was sitting on the couch, waiting for him. As soon as she heard the door click, she rushed to him, catching his arm.

“Eren! I’m so sorry about the yoga stuff, I didn’t mean to…”

“No.”, he stopped her, “I’m the one that should be sorry, I shouldn’t have left like that.”

Reaching out, Eren took both of her hands in his, smiling at her. Armin was right. What was a stupid bet compared to having her, the one woman he ever loved, to making her happy? 

“Listen,”, he said, “if you want, I’ll drop the challenge. We can just go to bed and…”, he wiggled his eyebrows, “have some fun.”

As tempted as Mikasa was by the offer, seeing him suffer for the last three weeks did make her admire his dedication, even if the cause was really dumb in her opinion. 

“It’s okay,”, leaning closer, she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, “I’ll survive for one more week.”, pulling him along, she headed back for the couch. “Let’s watch a movie or something.”, she winked at him, “And I promise I’ll wear a hoodie.”

Eren followed, grinning. He really didn’t deserve her at all. 

 

Just a weekend, and he would be the winner of this year’s No Nut November, Jean thought to himself, smug. Eren definitely lost by now, and even with Connie and Armin maybe able to also take part of the victory, his main point would stand. In his mind, he was already slowly preparing the jokes. The buzz of his phone woke him from the pleasurable dream, and he reached over to see who was texting him.

Hey! Long time no see, wanna grab a coffee? ;) Hitch.

Well, it was some time since he last saw her. Sure, why not.

Several coffees later, Jean found himself staring at the ceiling of Hitch’s bedroom, with the woman herself sleeping right next to him, as naked as he was. 

“Fuck.”, he whispered.

 

As arranged, they met at the last day of November at the bar, once again sitting around the same table. 

“So,”, Jean said, looking over the participants, “Results?”

“I completed it.”, said Armin, not looking too thrilled about the fact.

“I lost.”, confessed Connie, but same as Armin, he didn’t seem to care too much, “Sasha pulled out some stuff I just couldn’t resist.”

“Right, so….”, with a sweet smile, Jean turned towards Eren. “What about you?”

“Well…”, Eren took a gulp, prolonging the silence, “It wasn’t easy,”, he finally said, “But…. I fucking did it!”, he pumped his fist, and got rewarded with a very halfhearted cheer from Armin. 

Now, every eye turned to Jean. Originally, he wanted to lie and cover his slip up, but now… He just couldn’t do it. 

“I lost.”

And all the suffering, all the trouble he went through, was suddenly so worth it to Eren, because he was never letting Jean live this one down.

Never.

 

Something wet was on her neck. Mikasa scrunched her nose, sighing in annoyance as the wetness spread, coming all the way under her ear and back, sucking lightly at the skin. Then, it bit down, and she finally woke, realizing what was happening.

“Eren?”, she asked warily, fighting back the moan that was building inside her. Neck kisses always made her melt. “Wh…Ah…What are you doing?”

Not that she didn’t want him to, she fucking did, but what about that challenge of his?

“It’s December.”, he growled into her skin, sucking it like man possessed. She’s going to have so many damn hickeys. “Its finally fucking December.”

Checking the bedside clock, Mikasa could see that he was right. The time was exactly one-minute past midnight, which meant that Eren was probably awake the whole time, waiting for his time to strike. She could feel his hands on her body, one slipping under her top and crawling towards her chest, while the other was slowly but surely making its way between her legs. But while her body celebrated, her mind had a different idea. She had to pay him back, at least a little bit, no?

“I’m so sorry baby,”, she faked a yawn, “but I’m so tired. I don’t think I can do it now.”

Eren froze, and from the shuddering breath he took, she would say that he was on the verge of crying. Or screaming in frustration. 

“I can jerk you off if you want.”, she suggested, not meeting his eyes from the fear that she won’t be able to hold her façade up. The poor man seemed to be considering it, and she just couldn’t stop herself from laughing anymore. Deftly, Mikasa turned in his embrace, coming face to face with his now very surprised expression. “I’m just kidding.”, she said, wrapping her legs and arms around him with a grin. Normally, Eren would most likely comment on her teasing, but as starved for her as he was now, he simply resumed his actions, hands finally coming to their destination. Pressing her mouth right on his ear, she managed a last whisper before her moans took over.

“Let’s destroy that dick.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are reading this as the person who suggested this thing for me, I hope you like the way I did it :)  
> Also, I could rant here about chap 112 again, but id just be repeating myself.
> 
> Till next time!


	54. Hook, line, and sinker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said before, I like to take my mind off the manga angst by writing smut.  
> And BOI did 112 deliver.  
> So I did too.
> 
> Enjoy!

Levi grunted as he fell, hitting the mattress. He did his best to try and roll with the blow, get back on his feet, but he was hit by a wave of nausea and only managed to scramble to a kneeling position. 

“You okay?”, Mikasa asked, stopping in her assault and dropping her hands down, showing the concerned expression on her face. 

“I’m fine.”, he growled, waving away her attempts to help him stand, “Just give me a damn moment.”

Fuck, he was getting old. That combined with the fact that he spent half the night awake, cleaning after Hange’s disastrous cooking attempt, left him quite tired. Cleaning has become his refuge lately, because while doing it, he was left completely to his own devices, and he could think about the stuff that kept bothering him, buzzing around inside his brain. Like Petra, or rather the lack of her. He didn’t call her, still unable to bring himself to do it, and she made no effort to contact him either. So, what now? He had no idea, and it was way easier to just scrub the kitchen clean, over and over, instead of facing the trouble of making a decision. All this thinking, it made him groggy. And as he was discovering right now, groggy was not the state where he could match the beast that was his sister in a fight. She was so good, getting better every time they fought, and staring at his hands, Levi was left wondering just how long he can keep giving her the challenge she needed in their duels. 

“Hey, Levi, you sure you are okay?”, she was squatting next to him now, hand on his shoulder, supportive, her short hair plastered to her face by the sweat. Well, at least the act of beating him did make her sweat, he could be proud of that. 

“I said I’m fine.”, he pointed out, but didn’t try pushing her hand away. Just to make her feel important, he let Mikasa help him stand, not that he needed it or anything. Once upright, a few deep breaths were all he needed to get back his bearings, and he frowned at her. Up. Because she was taller. God damn it. “How about you go beat the bag for a change?”, he suggested, doing his best to appear as composed as possible, while the only thing he wanted to do was sit down and pant like a dog. 

Mikasa didn’t question his order and swiftly moved over to the other part of the gym, letting him reminiscence in peace. Strictly speaking, Levi had to face the facts: he wasn’t getting any better, she was. The most important part of her seemed to be her mental state, because he remembered that even when she threw herself fully into the training routine back during their Europe tourney, she wasn’t improving that much, but now, back home and seemingly resolving her issues with that bone-headed boyfriend of hers, the tempo at which she was progressing was lightning fast. Lately, Levi was getting offers for a cross-gender matches, stating that she could easily hold her own even against top male MMA fighters. Those were tempting, both because they paid rather well, but also because Mikasa ached to be tested to her limits, and recently, she wasn’t meeting her match amongst the female part of the sport. Honestly, he didn’t mind that she was leaving him in the dust, he was her trainer after all. The student was supposed to surpass the master. But it raised the question, if he can’t match her in the ring, then who can? If only there was a fighter as good as she was, easily accessible, and willing to train with her, right?

Following her tracks at a slow pace, he found Mikasa exactly as he expected, mercilessly abusing the punching bag. Taken by her graceful movements, he just watched for a time. One, two punches, a quick duck beneath the imaginative counter, followed by a kick that send the bag creaking to the side. She had an incredibly strong legs, he had to admit. 

“So…”, he started, making her look at him, “You talked to Annie?”

Mikasa stopped in her movements, shaking her head. 

“No, I wasn’t able to reach her. She went completely off the grid.”

Levi didn’t miss the way her fists tightened when she spoke about Annie. There was something she wasn’t telling him, but he wouldn’t pry into her privacy, their relationship wasn’t like that. She also took the kinda large break recently, citing that she wants to focus on the modeling stuff, which was understandable, but still. The suspicions layered. 

“Well, I’m just saying, maybe you should get in contact with her. I’m getting tired of beating your ass over and over again.”

She raised an eyebrow at that. 

“Anyway, as I was saying, maybe try calling her. That’s all.”, he turned to leave, “And your form is still shit.”, he muttered while walking away, making her chuckle. 

 

Coming home was always nice. The house smelled of all the thing Mikasa enjoyed, so she stopped at the entrance to take a deep breath, smiling to herself. But when she entered the living room, she was disappointed to discover that it was empty. Her brows furrowed. Was Eren still at work? 

“Baby?”, she called into the void, waiting for an answer.

“Bedroom.”, came his muffled answer, revealing his position. 

Excited to see him, Mikasa took the steps two at a time, rushing into the room with a wide grin. Spreading his arms, Eren let her crash into him at almost full speed, stumbling back to regain his lost balance. 

“It’s been just a few hours.”, he pointed out, a bit taken aback by her enthusiasm, but she was having none of it.

“I missed you.”, Mikasa insisted, wrapping her legs around his waist. With all the newfound strength of his, he should be carrying her all the time, otherwise, what’s the point of all his lifting? To prevent any further quips from him, she silenced him with her mouth, drawing out the kiss as long as humanly possible, and afterwards rested her head on his shoulder, while he just held her up for a time. It felt nice. Nice enough that she was close to falling asleep on him, when his voice woke her up.

“Miki?”

“Hmm?”

“You... uhm... feeling okay tonight?”

“Yes,”, she drew back to see his face, noticing the light grin he was wearing, “why are you asking? Something wrong?”

“Nah, everything’s peachy. I was just wondering…”, his eyes slid away from her face to the bed and back, grin widening, “if you perhaps wanted to play.”

Confused, she followed his gaze to see that there were several objects lying innocently on the mattress, the shape of them alone waking her up completely. So that’s why he was up here, huh? Making preparations. 

“Is this because of your little accident?”, she asked, looking back at him, delighted to see his ears color. Honestly, she shouldn’t have even been surprised by it. Because what can you expect from a man that was denying himself for a month? So, when he finally did finish that stupid challenge of his and they were having their first intercourse, it was only logical that he couldn’t hold himself back and spilled himself into her just after few thrusts. He was embarrassed back then, by his inability to satisfy her, although she patted his cheek and said that its okay, that she understands. After, when Mikasa was clearing herself in the bathroom, the door opened behind her and Eren resolutely turned her around and pushed her up the wall, caging her in. 

“Second chance?”, he asked, tone light. 

“Give it your best.”, she agreed, once again letting him push inside her with a groan. And Eren did manage to hold on, waiting for her to finish first, as it was usual with them, even when it took him a lot of teeth clenching and sweating. So overall, it was a rather satisfying night of fucking against the wall. Normally, Mikasa wouldn’t tease him for it, but Eren was very prideful about certain things, and it was so easy to make him blush.

He probably expected her to jump down to inspect his offerings, but she had no intention of getting down from her perch, so she nudged him her heels instead, cue to move. Eren sighed in annoyance, but she didn’t miss the amusement hidden behind those emerald eyes. When he did carry her closer, she leaned in, and what she saw certainly sparked her interest. 

“I wanted you to see it all first.”, he said, “Go through it, tell me if there’s something missing or something you don’t want to use.”

Finally accepting the truth, that she had to get down to truly check the stuff, Mikasa reluctantly let go of him, landing on her feet and sitting down on the bed, beginning her inspection. Collar. Okay, she thought to herself running her fingers over the soft leather. Leash. Couldn’t forget that. Gag, blindfold. Now things got interesting, as she brushed a baglike accessory, also made from solid leather. 

“Arm binder?”, she guessed, half turning towards Eren. He nodded. They didn’t use those often, because you could restrain one’s arms just as easy with a pair of handcuffs. If you wanted to be super strict, another pair of cuffs on elbows did the trick. But if Eren was willing to use this, she had no intention of denying him. Right, now what was the next thing? Curious, Mikasa inspected the metal hook, the curved part ending with a ball. “What’s this?”

“Well, I’ll give you a hint.”, he moved next to her, tapping the circle on the end of the straight part. “I’ll clip this into the end of the binder.”

Well, if she would have her arms behind her back, restrained by the bag, and this hook would be hanging at the end of it, that would leave it in a very close proximity to….

“Wait a minute, you don’t want to jam this thing up my ass, do you?”

“No, of course not. I plan to insert it there, very gently.”

She turned the hook in her hand, watching the steel reflect the light. 

“Just say no if you don’t want me to.”, he interjected, smiling. “You know I won’t mind.”

“Nah, its okay.”, she shook her head, placing it back on the bed. “I’m looking forward to it, actually.”

“Aw, that’s so romantic. Looking forward to having a hook up her….”

With a speed of light, she pressed a finger against his lips.

“No teasing. Not now”, she frowned at him, “You will have plenty time for that later. Understand?”

“Yes ma’am.”, he murmured against it, pressing a light kiss to the tip.

Nodding in agreement, she turned back, checking what she missed. There was the Hitachi wand, and even seeing it made the familiar fire light up in her stomach. Next came the nipple clamps, and she could feel her own peaks hardening just from seeing them. Okay, good enough. The last object on the bed was a rather large box, which when she opened revealed a pair of high heels. Very high, in fact. Mikasa turned to Eren, question in her eyes.

“Those will come in handy.”, a wink, “Later.”

Well, nothing wrong with shoes. After all, they did look pretty. Her inspection complete, she took a step away from the bed, nodding.

“Okay, I’m good with everything here.”

“You sure?”

“Yup.”, she smiled at him, “I know you’ll take a good care of me.”

Eren moved closer, brushing a hand through her hair. 

“Go take a shower then, and once you come back…”, he leaned closer to kiss her cheek, “we can begin.”

 

Take a shower he said. And how exactly was she supposed to take a freaking shower in peace, while all she could think about was the neat collection he had prepared for her, for them. Envisioning all the activities they could do together… Oh my. Even as hyped as she was, she took her time, cleaning herself as properly as possible. Hygiene was important. Closing her eyes, she could almost feel Eren’s hands on her body, his mouth at her ear as he was whispering those dirty little things to her. When she finally did emerge from the shower, she was certainly wet, and it wasn’t all just from the water. After drying, Mikasa didn’t even bother with picking out any clothes. What would be the point? Eren’s eyes shot to her immediately when she re-entered the bedroom, watching her slowly unwrap the towel from herself and letting it fall to the floor. 

“So, what now?”, Mikasa asked, excited enough to make her toes curl. 

“Well, why don’t we take it at your own pace.”, he said, gesturing towards the bed. “Pick out the things you want me to put on you, choose the order. Your call.”

Ah, so he was giving her a measure of freedom here. Mikasa wouldn’t start with anything crazy, so she grabbed the collar, turning towards him with a crooked smile. Nodding, Eren came to her, taking the thing from her hands and beckoning her to turn around. The little sigh escaped her lips even when she tried to catch it, as the gentle hug of leather around her neck did bring back some very pleasant memories. 

“You doing fine?”, he asked, tiny hint of mockery in his voice.

She nodded, not trusting her voice not to tremble if she would answer him. The buckle tightened, as Eren did it exactly as she wanted it to, loose enough for her to comfortably breathe in, but with every inhale, she could feel it against her throat, reminding her of its presence. 

“All right, what’s next?”

With a slightly shaking fingers, she picked up the leash, allowing him to clip it into the circle in the collar. Next, she pointed at the heels, curious if he will tell her what’s it about now. He didn’t. Without a word, Eren kneeled, helping her slide into the shoes and securing them in place with the straps around her ankles. Damn, but those were real killer ones. The angle of her feet was almost the same as she would be wearing damn ballet shoes, greatly upsetting her balance. Right, time for the binder. Her hands obediently behind her back, Mikasa could feel Eren putting the bag over her arms, tightening it with multiple buckles. It took some time to put on, but it did immobilize her hands completely, robbing her of any ability to use them. Next came two straps over her shoulders, and it was done, her arms were useless. 

“I know that I said I’ll let you choose.”, Eren long fingers ghosted over the hook, picking it up, “But I strongly suggest that you let me hook you up now. While we can freely communicate.”

A gulp of air later, Mikasa agreed, following his instructions to bend over. The heels were of some use even now, as they pushed her ass out, which was completely beautiful, as Eren commented. First, he connected the top of the hook to the binder, then came the familiar pop of the lube bottle, followed by his fingers, slowly circling her before dipping in. She gritted her teeth, but adjusted, and soon he was pressing in another one, stretching her. On Eren’s question, if everything is okay, she nodded, urging him to go on. When he deemed her prepared enough, the fingers disappeared just to be replaced by the metal, the coldness making her jolt. 

“Sorry.”, he murmured, pressing it in. After a little bit of discomfort, the hook was all the way in, the ball at the end making her feel every movement she did. Well, this is going to be fun. “Why don’t you straighten for me, sweetie.”, he whispered into her ear, pulling at the collar. The question why was answered almost immediately, because the sudden movement made the ball inside her shift significantly, a moan escaping her, which in turn made him smirk. Smug bastard. 

Her next pick were the clamps, knowing from her experience that the bite of them was so worth it in the end. As always, Eren took his time, first rolling her nipples between his fingers to harden them before closing the jaws of the toys around them, her peaks now connected by a silver chain. 

With not many toys left, Mikasa nodded towards the gag, as she couldn’t pick stuff up anymore, and Eren graciously followed her wish, putting the rubber ball between her teeth and securing it behind her head. Well that left two things, and as the wand was definitely for later use, her choice was technically made for her already. Feeling like losing her vision now, Mikasa nodded towards the blindfold, saying a mental goodbye to her eyes.

“I promise you’ll enjoy this.”, he said, leaning forward to press a kiss to her parted lips before slipping the blindfold over her head, darkening her vision. “Now you see what I did?”, he asked out of the darkness, as Mikasa was robbed of any way to track him. “I took away as much of your control as I could.”, a hand slid over the leather arm binder, “I robbed you of your touch,”, the touch shifted to her mouth, “your ability to speak,”, the eyes, “your vision,”, his fingers closed over her ankles, “and your balance.” Out of nowhere, his mouth appeared right next to her ear, hot breath tickling her sensitive earlobe. “You are mine now, and I can do what I want with you. Isn’t that right?”

She couldn’t answer him, obviously, so she settled for a whine into the gag, hoping that he will take it as a yes. Suddenly, two fingers reached between her legs, pressing into her entrance. The unexpected intrusion made her body automatically try and move away from him, but all she could take was one step back before his other hand grabbed the chain between her nipples, tugging her back to him. 

“Look at you, so wet for me, and all I had to do was tie you up.”, the pull on her nipples increased, upwards, making her whole body straighten as much as possible. Which, of course, put pressure on the hook inside her, making her eyes water behind the blindfold. “You love this, don’t you.”, he growled into her ear. “My little slave.” Oh, she did love it, but all Mikasa could do was another whine. Luckily, Eren seemed to understand, because the pressure on the chain disappeared, replaced by the tug of the leash, as he was leading her somewhere. Blind, out of balance, she stumbled after him, but there was no fear in her. She knew that if she would fall, he would catch her. The trust they build over the years with each other coming into play. They didn’t walk far before she could hear him sitting down, the leash guiding her to straddle him, knees on the sides of his legs. 

“Now…”, he said slowly as she settled, eyes roving all over her naked body, “What am I going to do with you…”

He did a damn good job. She was helpless, on top of him, blind, unable to speak, with her arms tied behind her back. The hook inside her forced Mikasa to always have her back arched, otherwise it would pull mercilessly at her, which made her chest stand out beautifully right into his face, the nipples connected by the length of the chain so close that he could lick them with just the minimal effort. She was already wet, he could see the way she glistened, clear against the contrast of his clothes. Being fully clothed while your partner was naked, it spoke of the control he had over her for the evening, the one she gave him willingly, because she trusted him so much. It was rather lovely, really. Then again, he would make sure to fully take advantage of said state, before the playtime would be over. Wrapping her up in all these pretty things just to release her would be a huge waste of time, and he had none to spare. Some sweat has already collected on her porcelain skin, but Eren would make sure that she sweated much more before he would be through with her, that was for certain. 

Robbed of her vision, she had no idea what Eren was doing, but he certainly wasn’t touching her. Mikasa frowned beneath her blindfold, whining to get his attention. She wasn’t needy, but if he took all this time tying her up, he should at least play with her after, otherwise what was the point? “Impatient, huh?”, he purred, his hands finally landing on her, making their way up her thighs to the sides of her body and back, not lingering long. “Don’t worry, baby, I’ll have you shivering soon. I just wanted to… appreciate the view for a bit.” 

Rustle of fabric indicated that Eren leaned somewhere, the sound followed by a click and the buzzing that she knew so intimately. “Excited for your old friend?”, he asked, the wand tapping on her stomach, purposely avoiding where she wanted it to be. “Well I can’t just give it to you, that would hardly be fair.”, something touched her ass, very lightly, sliding over the skin. Judging from the wideness of it, and the fact that Eren’s hand was close, so the handle couldn’t be very long, she guessed that it must be the paddle. “See, I brought another friend too, so why don’t we make a trade? Let’s say…”, he fell silent for a few seconds, most likely figuring things out, “ten paddle hits for half a minute of the wand on you. How does that sound?”

So, this was his game, huh? Trading. Well, the ratio of three seconds per hit hardly seemed fair, but she wasn’t really in a position to negotiate in the first place. She nodded, slowly, to show him that she understands and accepts his barbarous deal. “Okay, but before we start, we have to figure out a safeword.”, leave it to Eren to always put in a way out for her, even though she couldn’t remember ever using it. Still felt nice knowing that he looked out for her. “Since you can’t talk, we have to agree on something else. So how about this: if you want me to stop, all you have to do is stand up from my lap and take a step backwards. Is that okay?”. Well that was easy enough, and Mikasa agreed with another nod. “Right then,”, she could hear him taking a deep breath, and steeled herself for the impact, “let’s start.”

The paddle landed on her ass with a smack, her body jolting. It made her realize a few things. First, Eren wasn’t holding back, as the smack did sting rather severely. Second, the hit shifted the end of the hook inside her, adding to the stimulation, making the air escape from her lungs. But before she could collect her bearings, the second smack connected. “Normally I’d make you count, princess, but you seemed to have a bit of a problem with talking right now.” Oh, even blinded she could see the way he grinned about his own joke now. The image inside her head disappeared with the third hit, and fourth, and fifth… Finally, Eren smacked her for the tenth time, letting her sag against him, breathing heavily. The beating took its toll on her. Her ass was on fire, and the ball inside her was moved around so much that she wondered if Eren would even be able to pull it out in the end. “Shhhh, you did so well baby.”, Eren whispered into her ear, fingers playing with the ends of her hair, “You want your reward now?” The eager nods made him smile, and he turned the wand back on, gently pressing the vibrating tip of the toy against her clit. “Enjoy then.”

Mikasa should have seen it coming. Those deals with the devil that Eren did, he always sneaked in a condition that made him a winner in the end. True to his word, he did provide her with the wand, pressed right into her weak spot, but those little circles he did that made her go crazy weren’t there. Oh sure, so she had to move herself, because the bastard would just remain stationary for the whole thirty seconds he so graciously traded her. Biting into the gag in frustration, Mikasa moved her hips, but it was hard to find the exact way she liked, especially when she didn’t see anything. Just as she was getting close to finding it, the wand disappeared. “And that’s time.”, Eren said, “Wanna go again?” He won. Even with the reward being what it was, she knew that she craved it, would do anything to have the toy back on her. Defeated, she nodded again. 

Another ten hits, hard, and provided to her in no rush. Her sadistic master took his time, circling the part of her ass he was going to hit before doing it, never falling into any rhythm, giving her no warning and no time to prepare for it. She even straightened her legs to the floor in an attempt to get some sort of anchor, a way to push against it, but the damn heels took away any sort of balance she might have regained if she was barefoot. Or wearing shoes that didn’t lift her feet almost all the way, letting only her toes touch the ground. The pain combined with the hook movements were draining her, slowly but surely, but Eren gave her no time to control her breathing, putting the wand to work as soon as he was done with the punishment. Knowing that he won’t move, she put her own body to work, using the little leverage she had with her legs on the ground to rub herself on the heavenly vibrating part as much as she could. It was better this time, and Mikasa could almost feel the tightening in her stomach before he stole it away from her. Again. “Another trade?”, he asked, oh so sweetly. Taking a shuddering breath through her nose, she nodded. 

Rinse and repeat, things were only getting worse. The hits landing on the already hurting areas made the sting hard enough for her to start gasping into the gag with each one, the shifting of the hook only making everything close to unbearable. Her short session with the wand were slowly but surely getting under her skin, frustration piercing through her shell in the form of tears that started appearing in the corners of her eyes. When he took it away again, she felt like a child whose candy was just stolen. At least she was bound, because Mikasa had the feeling that she would murder Eren in cold blood right now, if she was free. Again, he asked her if she wants to do another trade, and Mikasa realized one thing. She was really a slave. Slave to her body, the cravings it had, and because Eren could control it so masterfully, that made her in extension his slave too. She could end it, they both knew as much, but she wouldn’t do it. Because while the realization of how much he can control her was humiliating, it for some reason felt so damn good, and the warm tingle at the base of her spine only served to drive the point home. Mikasa loved being Eren’s slave, as it was only for a limited time, and his mastery over her was freely given, with her always having a way to make him stop. So, yes, she agreed to another trade, and hated it, while loving it at the same time. After all, love and hate are very similar emotions, aren’t they?

Five times she nodded. Five times he spanked her and rewarded her after. Five times she did her best to move her hips against the wand, just for it to be snatched away in the moment she was falling into a rhythm. She hated it. She loved it. She loved hating it, that was the most accurate description. But when he took her pleasure away for the sixth time, it was too much. Mikasa broke, sobbing uncontrollably, curled against her tormentor. She didn’t want it to end, but damn it, couldn’t Eren throw her a bone? Didn’t she do enough? Balancing her on the edge again, that was his way, but those limits weren’t made to be broken. 

“You did so well.”, he praised her, petting her head, “I’m so proud of you.” Well, he certainly fulfilled his goals. Sweat was now running freely over her body, combining with the tears that leaked from the edges of her blindfold, and some drool from around the gag. The crotch of his pants was also positively soaked, as she was completely dripping by now, desperate, just as he liked her. “You want me to make you come?”, he asked her, and was immediately answered by rapid nodding combined with a muffled begging from behind the rubber ball. “Shhhh, all right, I understand. Let me take care of you.” With that, he once again turned the wand on, pressing it against her. Mikasa’s back arched, eyes screwing shut because finally, finally Eren was moving his hand on his own, circling her swollen clit just the way she loved. In the same time, because he wanted to reward her for being such a good girl, Eren’s fingers deftly undid one of the nipple clamps, which in turn made her scream, the sound muffled by the gag. As the second clamp came loose, he let him lips go to work, pulling the extremely sensitive bud into his mouth, sucking lightly. Mikasa was losing it. After all the time being denied, the pleasure almost none between the harsh punishments, she was hit by a wave of it, stealing away her ability to think at a rapid pace. The tightening under her stomach was back, and this time, nothing stopped her. The orgasm hit her like a clap of a thunder, pushing all the air out of her lungs while she writhed on top of him, lost in the world of her body. Eren only stopped stimulating her when she was truly done, the whine in her throat one of oversensitiveness. Shivering, she sagged in his embrace, breathing heavily into his neck, while her kind master hugged her, waiting for her to calm down.

Eren didn’t know how long they were like this, with him stroking along the line of her sweaty back, counting the bumps of her spine, breathing in the scent of her skin. What pulled him out of his calmness was the feeling of her bumping into the side of his face with her nose. “What’s this?”, he asked, not sure what her goal was. Instead of answering, which she couldn’t do in the first place, she nuzzled into the side of his neck, insistent. “Do you want something from me?”, he asked, grinning. Mikasa nodded. “You want me to let you out of those bindings?”. A shake of her head. “Hmmm, what do you want then, I wonder.” She bumped the side of his face again, putting more pressure into it. Of course, he could always just pull the gag out of her mouth, but where was the fun in that? “Do you want the wand again?” Mikasa shook her head. “The paddle?” A resolute no this time. “Then… maybe you want a part of me?” A nod. “My fingers?” A shake. Well, that narrowed the options. “I think I know what you want.” 

Reaching down, dangerously close to her slick heat, he unzipped his pants, letting his own excitement go free. The sound of the zipper caught Mikasa’s attention, and the delighted sound she made proved him that his guess was right. “Well, if you want it.”, he said, “You have to take it yourself.” Right, because just fucking her wouldn’t be good enough for him. Mikasa rolled her eyes beneath the blindfold, but couldn’t really feel angry at him, as the last remnants of her orgasm were still running through her system. Bracing herself against the floor, her heels scraping against it, she pushed herself to a standing position, careful not to move the hook too much, and tried to slide him in, but it was fucking hard when she couldn’t see. Two times he slipped out of her, but on the third one she managed to push past the head, and the rest was easy. Mikasa still went tantalizingly slow, lowering herself onto him, and Eren’s head fell back against the chair, low groan resonating through his throat. Each inch felt heavenly, as he was slowly sucked in into her tight heat, the penetration made much easier by how wet she was. “Fuck… Okay…”, the words came out feverish as he bottomed out, both needing a moment to adjust. This feeling, when he was buried inside her as much as possible, and she had him as deep as he could go, that was the one neither of them would trade for anything. This was the best. 

As Eren was slowly coming back to earth, Mikasa seemed to wake as well, and before he could do anything she leaned forward, slowly, pressing her forehead against his. And then, she gripped him. Eren’s eyes went wide as he felt her iron hold on his member, the walls of her sex squeezing him with enough force to make him wonder just how strong she really was. “I guess this is my punishment for all the teasing?”, he asked, voice a bit shaky. Not that he was afraid that Mikasa would hurt him, not really, but she did get heated during times like these. She nodded, and even with a gag inside her mouth and the blindfold in place she managed to look smug. “I’m sorry?”, he tried, hands smoothing up and down her thighs. With a muffled chuckle, Mikasa leaned back, easing her hold on him. She did prove her point, after all. This was her show now. Even tied as she was, somehow she managed to top him from the bottom, and Eren couldn’t help but admire the woman. Now in charge, she started circling her hips, small ones at first, eventually fanning out to bigger ones. Deciding to let her do what she wants, Eren settled into the chair more comfortably, knowing that whatever she will do, he will surely enjoy it. Soon she changed it up, rocking back and forth now, muffled gasps combined with his, the fingers on her thighs digging a bit deeper. Out of nowhere, she stopped. The whine this time was Eren’s own, and he wondered if she was perhaps punishing him for his earlier teasing, again, but then she jerked her head in the direction of her crotch, and he quickly realized what she wanted. Retrieving the wand, he pressed it against her clit again, and Mikasa sighed happily, her movements resuming. She was getting lost in it, her tempo growing more and more intense, and before long she was bouncing up and down on him, her breasts moving in sync, creating rather an amazing spectacle before Eren’s eyes. 

It was hard, riding him like this. She didn’t see anything, couldn’t say anything, and the hook inside her kept pulling at her anytime her hands moved too much. In addition to that, her footing was bad, because the heels were still restricting her contact with the ground rather harshly. But it didn’t matter. It was a challenge, and Mikasa Ackerman loved challenges. Eren had done this enough times that he could keep the wand pressed against her clit even as she moved, not missing a beat. He was pretty good with his hands, she had to give him that. The telltale signs of her orgasm were here again, increasing in strength, and before she realized it, the waves were on her again, washing all over her body. As in a fog, she heard Eren grunt and felt his own hips jerk up into her a few times, before he also found his release, the warm feeling spilling inside her. Leaning forward, she rested her head on his shoulder, taking a break from all this madness. 

“Baby? You there?”, she managed a weak nod, and Eren rewarded her with a chuckle, “Let me get the gag from you.” Angling her head so he could undo the buckle easier, Mikasa felt his fingers on the back of her skull, working to set her mouth free. The rubber ball between her teeth came loose, and he pulled it out, returning her the ability to speak. 

“So, how you doing?”

“I’m…”, Mikasa had to swallow a few times, her throat felt parched, “Good. Thirsty.”

“Right. You want some water now, or after I take the bindings away?”

She considered it for a moment. 

“I can wait. Just get me out of this, please.”

“Of course, just give me a second.”, the blindfold disappeared, making her blink into the sudden light. 

“Hello stranger.”, he smiled at her, and she could feel her own mouth twisting upwards.

“Eren, you know I love you. But can you please pull the hook out of my ass?”

“Sure thing.”, the grin widened, “Let’s get you… off the hook.”

Mikasa sighed. Eren laughed. Joker. She shook her head, unable to even feel irritated right now. Her joker. 

His dexterous fingers were working on removing the metal from her ass, pulling it out as gently as he could. With a last tug, it came free with a pop, tiny moan breaking from her lips. Her ass was really sensitive right now. Next came the binder, the clasps and straps parting under Eren’s work, and her arms were free before she knew it. Shaking some feeling into them, she sat back, finally able to straighten her back without the hook digging in, but there was something else inside her now. Looking down, she realized that they never separated, and Eren was still buried in her, his member somehow coming back to life. Well, if he was offering…

The decision to stand up swiftly was a bad one, because her exhaustion and her wobbly legs combined with the fact that she was still wearing those killer heels Eren got for her, and Mikasa stumbled. She would surely fall, but he moved fast, catching her. 

“Come on,”, standing up himself, he offered her a supporting hand, “let me help.”, and together they crossed the distance back to bed, where she sat back with a sigh, only to realize that her ass was quite thoroughly beaten and abused through the evening, so even the soft sheets made her grit her teeth at the contact. Eren’s fingers at her ankles, she could feel him unbuckling those hellish shoes, sliding them off her feet and finally, she could stretch her toes freely. Heavenly feel. Foreseeing that she would be as thirsty as she was right now, he handed her the bottle of water he had prepared, watching her take a few sips. Rejuvenated, there was now one more thing she was thirsting after. 

“So,”, Eren’s hand moved between her breasts, wrapping the leash around his fist as he tugged on it, making her realize that she was still collared, “up for one more round?”

“I had a hook up my ass the whole night.”, she pointed out, “There’s a certain itch I would like you to scratch, yes.”

“Since you are asking so nicely.”, Eren’s mouth covered hers, and he was pushing her down on the bed, hands roaming all over her naked body. He was still fully clothed, she realized, the fabric of his shirt chafing her poor abused nipples, but she was past the point of caring about such trivial things. “Turn around.”, he whispered against her ear, pulling back to let her twist beneath him, bringing her ass up on her knees. The lube popped open again, and she felt a trickle run down her cheeks, for the second time of the night. As usual, Eren followed the idea the more is better than less. He didn’t make her wait long, and there was the familiar push into her, past the tight ring of her muscles, which she did her best to relax. Finally, after a bit more lube, he did move past, giving her just what she wanted. Her teeth pressing together again, her back made the perfect curve he loved so much, arching so erotically Eren couldn’t believe just how she managed to pull it off. Hips snapping back and forth, he buried himself into her, roughly, bending forward to latch his mouth on her shoulder, teeth scraping the flawless skin. She came beneath him soon after, moaning into the mattress, squeezing the bedding in her fists, pulling at it. Not ready to give up yet, Eren continued even as her knees collapsed, pressing her deep into the soft material with each thrust. Only when he couldn’t hold it back anymore, despite his best efforts, he finished, rolling to the side and collapsing next to her, chest heaving. 

One tired, mutual cleaning later, she was lying on his chest, dressed in panties and his shirt, as usual, while he nuzzled her hair, breathing in the fresh flavor of the shampoo combined with her own, personal scent. His hair, also damp, was framing the scene, lying all around him on the pillow. He should really cut the damn thing, it was getting way too long. Yawning, he realized that he can leave that decision for tomorrow, right now, sleeping was way more attractive. Mikasa, who did most of the work today, was already lost to the world, her exhaustion taking over, softly snoring from time to time. She did so well, honestly, took so much today, and even thanked him in the end. Even as he rubbed some of the soothing cream into the skin of her ass, rather red after the spankings, she was sighing happily. Well, if she loved it so much, he certainly wouldn’t be the one to deny her. Anyway, why was he thinking about that again? What was the point? Eh, whatever. 

Sleep time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never said I’d mind Eren calling Mikasa a slave, but the circumstances would have to be...... different.  
> ;)
> 
> Till next time!


	55. 'Twas the time before Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Covertly setting up some stuff for Christmas. It's so clooooooose :O
> 
> Enjoy!

“Cough it up, Yeager, what would she look like?“

Eren sighed from behind his book, not even making the effort of putting it down.

“I told you once, and I’ll tell you again. I do not have an ideal girlfriend made up in my mind. Hell, I don’t even have a type I prefer.”, he turned a page, pointedly ignoring the shadow looming over him, “So why don’t you go back to your group of wankers and let me study in peace. We got a test coming up, but you probably forgot, didn’t you?”

Jean, as usual, didn’t take no for an answer, sitting on the edge of Eren’s desk instead. 

“Well, if you won’t tell me, I’ll tell you mine. You see, I have it all figured out.”, he leaned back, a dreamy expression entering his face, “She will be athletic, doing some kind of sport, probably, to keep in shape. We are most likely going to end up doing it together, because we will both enjoy it much more than just going for a date in a coffee shops and shit. Her hair will be long and dark, and her laugh will the most beautiful sound ever. And of course,…”, he grinned, “she’s going to have long, perfect legs and the greatest ass in the world.”

“Couldn’t leave that detail out could you. “, Eren finally did put his book down, looking over to his “friend” with a thoughtful expression. “You know, it’s funny.”

“What’s funny.”

“I think I saw just the girl you are talking about.”

“Wait, really?”, Jean leaned forward, interested, “Where? The internet? Do you have her Instagram? Snap?”

“Nope, in real life actually.”, Eren did his best not to smile, “Down at the stables, there’s this mare….”

“You know what, screw you Yeager.”, Jean waved his hand dismissively, “You’re going to die a virgin anyway.”

“See, that is technically impossible,”, Eren picked his book back up, going back to reading, “since your mom already took care of that.”

He should have seen the punch coming.

 

Back in the present, Eren woke with a gasp, hand flying up to his cheek, where he could feel the sting of Jean’s fist. It took him a moment to realize that it was just a dream, a memory more like, because the event did happen, but it was years ago. Despite the phantom pain in his face, Eren grinned. They both got suspended after this little accident, but it was definitely worth it. His banter game was on point ever since high school. And Jean was just over-reacting anyway, after all, he did tell him the truth. There was no time to be wasted thinking about girls, when the exams were piling, and the university had such high admission requirements, so he really didn’t have a preference. Then he saw Mikasa, and suddenly he had a type. Very specific one too. The memories seemed to put a pressure on his chest, and he took a deep breath to get it off, but somehow, it was still clinging to him. Curious, Eren looked down, and it was easy to see what the problem was. The weight on him wasn’t psychological, it was very much physical and alive, still deep in her own slumber.

The thought of waking Mikasa up did cross Eren’s mind, but it was still very early, as he could decipher from both the alarm clock next to the bed and the fact that the sun was still down. Marking the feat of wiggling from underneath her without waking her up as impossible, Eren decided to just stay awake and watch her, because she looked pretty as hell, and there really wasn’t anything else to do. So, instead of getting up and being productive or anything, he ran the tips of fingers over her face, as gently as possible, lost in his little exploration. Well, he knew how she looked like, so exploration might be a little far-fetched, but rediscovering the smaller features of her face was always a delight, no matter how many times he did it. The gentle curve of her nose, the fact that her eyebrows were identical in their raven color to her hair, the little pout on her pink lips suggesting that whatever dream she was having, it might not be the most pleasant one. 

Curious to see how she would react, he poked her nose, just a little bit, watching it twitch in irritation as her frown deepened, her body most likely wondering who the hell had the gall to disturb its rest. The hold Mikasa had on him tightened, fingers clutching a bit more firmly to Eren’s side, the engagement ring scraping his skin, but when she felt that she wasn’t alone it went slack again, the frown finally disappearing from her face and being replaced by the usual neutral expression sleeping people had. It was certainly better than at the start of their relationship. The memories of her hugging him so tightly that she was close to breaking a rib, or when she woke up and randomly threw him off the bed, coupled with all the times she just hit him out of nowhere, her sleep addled mind having no idea who he was. Eren never blamed her for those episodes, knowing that her nightmares were bad, memories of her childhood tragedy lodged deep in her mind. He stuck with her through it all and was rewarded by the decreasing frequency of those unpleasant wake ups. Mikasa still had bad dreams from time to time, woke up randomly in the middle of the night, unable to fall back asleep, and he was always ready cut his own sleep short in order to be with her. Oh yes, he was a wonderful and caring boyfriend, hold your applause please.

Some of her short locks were covering one of her eyes from view, so Eren pushed it back behind her ear, just for it to fall back into place as soon as he let it go. Stubborn, he repeated his action, but his efforts were once again proven useless. Oh no, he wouldn’t give up. Time flew as he went on with his adventure, fighting against the strand, and before he knew it first rays of sun streamed in through the windows, illuminating her sleeping face. 

“What was her name?”, Mikasa asked out of nowhere, making him wonder if she just woke up or was already conscious for some time, just lying on his chest while he endlessly played with her hair. 

“Whose name?”, he asked, not really understanding what she was talking about. 

“The dancer.”, Mikasa’s grey eyes opened, blinking up to his own, emerald ones, “The one at the club.”

“Oh… Ehm… Why do you wanna know?”

She shrugged. 

“Just curious. You didn’t tell me back when we were talking about your…. hardness issues.”, seeing that he still wasn’t all the keen on answering, she leaned a bit closer, “What’s the harm?”

“Right.”, Eren still didn’t know why she wanted the information, but there really was no point in not telling her, was there? “Jade. Her name was Jade.”

“Jade.”, Mikasa let the word roll around in her mouth, “Tell me about her.”, she said while putting her head back down, once again closing her eyes.

“I mean, I talked to the girl for like five minutes, and she gave me a lap dance. I’m not exactly well informed about her, but I’ll do my best. What do you wanna know?”

“What did she look like? You said that she looked like me a bit, but there had to be differences, no?”

“Let me think…. She had black hair, like you, and similar tone of skin….”

She tapped his chest impatiently.

“The differences, Eren.”

“Well….”, a mischievous grin appeared on his face, “Her chest was definitely bigger…. and… she was way lighter than you are.”

Slowly, Mikasa pushed herself upright and opened her eyes, straddling him instead with a thoughtful expression. 

“Are you saying that I’m heavy?”

“Maybe?”

“Hmmm…”, not breaking the eye contact, she rocked her hips a bit, which made Eren realize just how perfectly aligned they were, with her heat right over his crotch. 

“I mean, I’m not saying it as a bad thing, of course,”, blurting those words out, he creeped his hands up her thighs, stroking the soft skin, “just an observation.”

“Is that so?”, to his anguish, she stopped in her movements. Sometimes, it’s better to keep your mouth shut. “You know what, you can carry me down for breakfast then, as a part of your training. I want…”, she tapped her chin, “pancakes.”

Laughing, he swept her up into his arms and carried her downstairs, but when he tried placing her on a chair, she clinged to him instead, arms and legs both interlocked, and didn’t let go.

“Listen, I know that you heal unnaturally fast from all your injuries, but I don’t.”, she said, “I’m not sitting down without a pillow after last night.”

Oh right, her ass still had those wonderful red imprints he left behind. Retrieving a cushion for her from the couch, Mikasa finally did sit down, although Eren didn’t miss the way she winced, just a little bit. The cooking part afterwards was easy, even with her asking every five minutes if it’s done yet. 

“Why did you ask about Jade all the sudden?”, Eren asked after they were about halfway done with the breakfast, really not buying the whole “just curious” thing.

“I had a dream about her.”, Mikasa chased a bit of a pancake around her plate for a second, before finally managing to skewer it mercilessly and put it in her mouth, “I mean, I don’t know how she looks like, but I know it was her.”, her eyes narrowed a bit as she looked over to where he was sitting. “You were there too, watching her.”

“I was?”

“Hmm..”, Mikasa seemed to lose herself in her own mind, staring into nothingness with a fork in her mouth. But just as Eren was about to poke her, to see if she wasn’t completely out of it, she snapped back into reality. “I wanna see her.”

“Huh?”

“The dancer. I wanna see her.”

“You mean, you want to go to the club?”

“Yup. How about today? When do you get off work?”, suddenly, she was all energy, bouncing up and down on her chair with excitement. 

“Eeeeh, eight? I think?”

“Swell, amazing, I’ll pick you up from work then? And we can go together?”

“Sur…”

“Great! See you then!”, with a speed of sound, she appeared next to Eren to press a quick kiss to his cheek and was out of the door before he could say half a word. He sighed. Seems like his day was all planned out without him even having to make a decision. Putting the last of his pancake between his lips, he chewed slowly, shaking his head. 

 

“Gabi? Is that you?”

“Yes, its me. Sorry for not calling so long Ms. B… Sasha. Had some problems I had to take care of.”

“Right, right, it’s okay, we are talking now, aren’t we?”

Gabi giggled on the other end of the line.

“I guess we are.”

“Listen Gabi, there’s something I wanted to ask you. We’ve been talking for some time, and I was wondering, maybe you’d want to meet? In person?”

“I…Uh… I’m sorry but…. Why would you want to see me?”, Sasha could hear the girl take a shuddering breath, “I hurt you. I didn’t mean to but… I shot you.”

“Wouldn’t you feel better if you apologized to me in person?”, from the upbeat tone of her voice, you could never say how much Sasha wanted to see the girl, “We can grab ice cream or something and…”

“No, I don’t think I can. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I have to go.”

“No! Gabi, wait, Gabi! Fuck!”

But the resolute beep confirmed that the line was disconnected now, and Sasha was talking to no one. With a shout of frustration, she threw her phone back on the couch, running her hands through her hair. She wanted to meet the girl, wanted to help her. Gabi wasn’t talkative, and didn’t share too much information with her, but from the tidbits Sasha constructed a rather depressing image. Her parents were either gone, or not caring for their daughter at all, because she never spoke about them. Gabi also seemed to have fallen in with a wrong crowd, and was possibly addicted to some drug, judging from the way she talked about needing a “fix”. But there was nothing she could do for her if they wouldn’t meet in person, god damn it. Withholding info from Connie was also getting harder, but she couldn’t tell him, she promised Gabi that she wouldn’t talk to anyone about her. Picking up her phone from the couch, she put it in her pocket, slowly wheeling herself outside of the living room. Maybe Gabi will call her again, later in the day. Hopefully.

 

“And that’s a wrap!”, Dot called excitedly, putting his camera down.

Sighing in relief, Mikasa dropped the pose she was holding, and let an assistant unbutton the long coat she was wearing, shrugging it off afterwards. The bikini shot she was silently dreading was postponed, and now she was apparently part of the ongoing winter collection, as Kiyomi informed her. She was also picked as the face of biker gear for the future, the photoshoot set sometime next year. Dot’s influence was apparently bigger than she first gave him credit for. Phone in hand, she checked her messages, but was soon interrupted with a decent cough from the photographer.

“I thought we are done?”

“Oh yes, we are done for today. There’s another thing coming soon though.”, he grinned beneath his moustache, “Your popularity is on the rise my girl, exactly as I said it would be.”

The model work was fun, although Mikasa would never admit that, a welcome change from the routine of her training days. It surely helped that she was working with such amazing people too, somehow she couldn’t see herself doing those shoots with anyone else than Dot, the man got under her skin rather fast. 

“Okay, I’m interested. What is it about?”

“Christmas.”, he pointed at the calendar behind her, “It’s just a few weeks away, you know. Now we already have a campaign rolling, of course, but there are still some photos to be taken, sets to cover.”

“Christmas? So, I’m going to dress like a deer? Santa? An elf? “

“Oh please.”, Dot laughed, “Christmas is the perfect marketing. Sure, there are some people in the background as elves and reindeers and shit, but the main focus ain’t that. We don’t want to sell deer suits, we want people to buy expensive dresses, coats, shoes, all those things. Last minute shopping is always impulsive, and you can net a very tidy profit if you know how to abuse it. So, looking forward to it?”

“Totally.”, she smiled at the old man, “Thanks for everything.”

He returned her grin.

“Believe me dear girl, it is my pleasure.”

 

“Yo, Yeager.”

Typical Ymir, leave it to her to distract him from work any day of the week. Not like he would have her any other way.

“Ymir,”, carefully, Eren put his pen down, “what’s up?”

“Me and Krista have been talking,”, she said, coming to sit on his desk, leaning over while making a complete mess of the papers he had all over it. Typical. “She wants to hang out with you again, apparently she likes you a lot.”

“Just like that, out of nowhere?”, he sighed, “Hardly a surprise, to be honest, I am a very likeable person.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”, Ymir rolled her eyes, “Krista is just way too nice for her own good.”

“The timing is perfect, actually. Mikasa wants to go back to the strip club after work, wanna tag along?”

“The strip club huh?”, the grin on her face widened, “I liked it a lot there. Beautiful girls.”

“And here I thought you were dating the poor woman.”

“I am, but not everyone is like you.”, she jumped down from his table, searching her pockets for a phone to tell her girlfriend the great news, “I can still appreciate a beauty of another female.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh please.”, she frowned at him over the display of the now found phone, putting it to her ear, “You could have miss America naked on your lap, and you would still ask: Hey guys, have you seen Mikasa anywhere?”

“Mocked for being faithful.”, Eren put a hand to his chest, seemingly hurt, “What has the world come to.”

Ymir just rolled her eyes at him, walking away to have the conversation with Krista in relative privacy. She only came back to give him thumbs up and say that both her and the blonde are looking forward to the evening. Well, more people usually mean more fun. And truth be told, he wanted to talk to Krista too, she was a great girl. Picking his pen again, Eren made a mental note to call Mikasa and inform her of the new addition to their trip, before going back to filling out the reports. He still had a ton of them to cover. 

 

The bouncer at the entrance somehow remembered them from their last visit, greeting them by name as he let them in. Hange was as loose lipped as usual, apparently. The inside of the club didn’t change, although there were some Christmas decorations, tiny trees in the middle of the tables, and a few more lights spread all around the club. Luckily, they weren’t playing carols. They found a booth, sitting down and ordering their drinks, as expensive as always, and Eren looked around, trying to find Jade. Now that he was here, he realized that she might not even be working today, so the whole trip had a good possibility to be completely wasted. Should have thought about there before coming here. But the more he sat at the comfortable booth, arm around Mikasa, the more he realized that finding Jade might not even be the best part of the evening. Because, spending time with Ymir and Krista, it just felt good on its own. Half of the time he was silent, just watching the blond and Mikasa talk, because for some reason the two of them clicked together, leaving both him and Ymir in the dust. Maybe that was the reason that he found himself standing at the bar some time later, next to the freckled girl, waiting for a drinks refill, while Mikasa and her newfound friend were chatting away at the table. 

“Yeager.”, Ymir nudged him with an elbow, “You there?”

“Where else would I be.”, he frowned, massaging the place where she touched him. Roughly.

“I’ve been thinking…”, she began, but Eren didn’t let her finish.

“You can do that?”, he asked, a big surprise on his face.

She nudged him again, harder. 

“Shut up. Now, I was thinking, we should do our Christmas party here. You know, the thing that Erwin does every time around this time of the year? What do you think?”

“You want to have a hospital Christmas party. Here. In a strip club.”

She shrugged.

“Yup.”

“I… Uh… I can bring it up with him, sure. But I’m not promising anything.”

“Oh please,”, Ymir grabbed the drinks from the counter, “you are his golden boy, he’s going to do it for you.” Turning around, she started heading back towards the table, Eren in tow. “This year is going to be fucking amazing, mark my words.”

As the evening steadily progressed into the night, Jade did appear, much to Mikasa’s delight, and danced on the stage. She really was amazing, exactly as Eren remembered, making the difficult forms look easy. The three of them enjoyed the show for, well, obvious reasons, while Mikasa seemed more interested in the way the dancer moved, studying it with an expression of deep thought on her face. 

 

“So?”, he asked once they were back home, getting ready for bed. It was rather late after all. “How did you like her?”

“She was certainly pretty, I can totally see you falling for her.”

“Please.”, he snorted, “You are much prettier.”

“Flatterer.”

“Guilty as charged. But seriously, why were you staring at her like that, during her performance?”

“It’s just…”, Mikasa appeared in the bathroom doors, climbing next to him on the bed and yawning, “I loved the way she moved around the pole. It was so… energetic?”, she took her usual sleeping position, resting her head on Eren’s chest which he took as a cue to start moving his fingers through her silky hair, “She seemed to be having a lot of fun, you know, I’d like to try it too someday. And Krista and Ymir were just amazing, I think I love them both.”, she added as in afterthought, closing her eyes. 

Sooo, Mikasa had a taste for pole dancing huh? And Christmas was coming up, how convenient. Eren hid his grin into Mikasa’s hairline, stroking the strands gently. Perhaps there was a shopping trip he ought to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to deliver another chapter on Christmas, but I’m not promising anything fellas.
> 
> Till next time!


	56. The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Actually delivering a chapter I promised in due date? Impossible.  
> More importantly  
> Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you are having a great one ;)
> 
> Enjoy!

For all his initial doubt about her proposition, Eren had to give Ymir credit where it was due. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves at the club, well, almost everyone, but overall it was a resounding success, much to his surprise. Getting the idea past Erwin was one of the most awkward moments in Eren’s professional career, since he was the one who had to drop the “Hey, can we have our Christmas party in the strip club this year?” bomb on their boss, but after a few seconds of stunned silence, Erwin said that as long as the majority agrees, he sees no problem with it. And just like that, Ymir’s choice was accepted. The turnout was also much bigger than Eren even dared to hope. A lot of doctors, especially older people, respectfully declined the invitation, but still, the bar was almost full of men and women from his workplace, apparently having a good time.

The music was blasting, the dancer on stage was doing a very pleasing choreography, much to the enjoyment of the crowd that gathered around her, cheering her, rather loudly, on. As Erwin was picking up the tab for today, drinks were flowing, and the first signs of the free alcohol could already be noted in the way some medics behaved. Eren was sitting down at the bar, circling his second whiskey of the night in its glass, watching the party. He didn’t really feel like joining the dancer’s crowd, who were at the moment making it rain, and as the rest of the people broke into groups of those acquainted with each other, he decided to rest his legs for a moment. From his perch, he saw Onya, entertaining a rather large crowd with his stories before disappearing in the back to get a private dance. A grin appeared on Eren’s face. The man seemed completely in his element. Well, good for him. 

“Yeager!”, a heavy hand fell on his shoulder, “Why are you sitting here all alone? Live a little!”

Ymir. Who else. 

“I am living.”, he pointed out, taking a sip of the whiskey. It was pretty good. 

“Ah, you know what I mean.”, she sat down next to him, swinging a bit dangerously on the tall bar stool before regaining her balance, laughing. The glass that she held in her hand was half-full, and Eren had the feeling that it was one of many she had tonight. 

“D’you miss your girl so much?”, Ymir leaned closer, the alcohol breath hitting Eren right in the face. “Y’know, you could have brought her.”

Of course, he asked Mikasa if she wanted to come, but she was busy tonight, modeling stuff. Unfortunate. 

“I don’t see your tiny bag of happiness anywhere either.”, he looked around, “Or do you have her stuffed in your pocket? I mean, she would probably fit there.”

Ymir giggled, punching him in the shoulder. 

“She’s not THAT small. Well, at least I think she ain’t.”, finishing her drink with a large gulp, she set the empty glass on the table, “And she couldn’t come tonight. Finishing reports or some shit, I didn’t understand a word she was saying.”

“Good communication is a key to happy relationship.”, Eren agreed.

She punched his shoulder again. 

 

There weren’t many people that knew where Levi lived. Even less would have the balls to come and start beating at his door, shouting his name. Following this equation, it wasn’t hard to decipher just who it was on the other side of the wall. With a sigh, he opened, letting in the wild brown-haired creature.

“Levi, Levi, you must help.”, Hange blurted out, adjusting her glasses. 

“Help with what?”, he did his best not to sound too irritated. He still kinda did. 

“Mikasa needs you, at the agency. They lack a model for the photoshoot they are having.”

He groaned. Not this shit again.

“C’mon,”, Hange was pressing on, “please? Your sister needs your help, you wouldn’t say no to her, would you?”

“Why didn’t she call me then? Why go through you?”

“Well, she thought you’ll tell her to fuck off, so she asked me to relay the good news to you. It speaks volumes about the relationship you two are having.”

Levi didn’t miss the silent sting in her words. Maybe he should go, even though he really didn’t want to, Mikasa surely earned his help, hundred times over. Ah well, there goes the plan to scrub the kitchen spotless. Again. 

“Fine, fine, I get it. I’ll go.”, with a last grunt, he picked up the coat, heading for the door. He can clean the kitchen once he gets back anyway, there was no rush. 

The drive through the city was about as nightmarish as he imagined it to be. With Christmas not even a week away, the people were entering their last phase of shopping madness, tearing the shops apart. Those last-minute idiots angered him. Like, you have the whole year to prepare, and you what, have no time? Seriously? He hated people who couldn’t put their affairs in order. Well, hate might not be the right word. More like disliked. Strongly. Normally, he would have no chance to park, if the studio didn’t have a private lot, and after he said that he was expected, and the guard made a quick call to check, Levi was allowed in. 

There was another reason why he wasn’t exactly thrilled to be here. Petra, of course. He had no idea if she worked today, or if she perhaps wasn’t a contractor, already long gone, but his throat still tightened anytime someone walked past him on his way to the studio where Mikasa was. Luck seemed to be on his side today however, because he hasn’t seen Petra anywhere, and soon reached his destination, standing awkwardly in front of the door. Swallowing, he entered. And was hit right in the face with the spirit of Christmas. There was fake snow on the scene, sleigh in one corner, while the next was occupied by a tree. Other props were also present, ready to be moved as soon as the ones currently being photographed were covered. It was overwhelming, and Levi stood there for a moment, unable to really process everything he was seeing.

“Levi!”, Mikasa appeared, out of nowhere, dressed in a very stylish set, one that probably cost more than he made in a month. “You came.”, she said, as if she still couldn’t believe it, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Of course I came, brat. Hange said that you needed me, right?”

“Oh, yeah, totally.”, Levi could swear that he could hear a shade on amusement in her voice, “We need a guy exactly like you.”. She turned, beckoning for him to follow, and dived back into the crowd, somehow managing to find a way. For all the insecurity and fear Levi remembered, she really seemed to be enjoying herself now. Secretly, he felt proud of her.

“How about you call me next time, and not Hange, huh? No need to drag her into our affairs.”

“Yea well. I had the feeling that you wouldn’t come if I told you what the job was about.”

What was that supposed to mean? Now that he thought about it, he really had no idea what she wanted him to do. But before he could ask, they came to a stop in front of the moustached old guy Levi remembered from earlier. 

“Dot, he came.”, the familiarity with which Mikasa spoke to the man suggested that they were working together for some time now. The man, who was apparently in charge of this mess, looked Levi up and down, a large grin spreading underneath the facial hair. 

“He really is perfect, you told the truth, dear girl. Just the right figure.”

“How about you stop keeping me in the dark and tell me what this is about, huh?”, Levi snapped, frowning. “What am I perfect for?”

Dot and Mikasa exchanged a glance, and the older man scratched the back of his head.

“We need an elf for the next shoot. We are one person short.”

Elf. A fucking elf. From the expression on his face, Dot wasn’t kidding. On the other hand, Mikasa’s lips were twitching, indicating that she was enjoying this moment very much, as she was most likely expecting him to flip Dot off and storm out of the door. Levi narrowed his eyes. You know what? Fuck it. He came all this way, he can very well dress like a damn elf. What’s the harm?

“Where’s my fucking costume.”

 

Erwin was surely having fun. Tie on the top of his head, shirt half undone, he was laughing so hard that his drink was spilling. Even with the hour growing late, the club was still about half-full, as the party went on, lively as ever. Onya emerged from the back room just for a few minutes before disappearing again, apparently not having his fill of lap dances yet. Eren himself socialized quite a bit too, and now that he was a tiny bit drunk he only started missing Mikasa more. She wasn’t only his fiancé, she was his best friend too, and he liked spending time with her. Before he could realize his plan for a silent and unseen exit, Ymir appeared next to him, cheeks flushed. 

“I forgot to ask you, Yeager boy, what are your plans for Christmas? Any huge party coming up?”, she hiccupped, “Am I invited?”

“Nope, not on Christmas, gonna spend that at home. Connie said that because we are all getting wasted on New year’s anyway, he had no plans of letting us demolish the bar twice in such a short time. So, nothing now. In a week there’s something.”, he smiled, “And both you and Krista are invited. Cordially.” 

“Oh my gosh, really? I can’t wait!”, she tried finishing her drink, again, but missed, spilling it all over herself. Luckily there wasn’t much left in the glass and Ymir didn’t even seem to notice. “Krista is going to be so happy, she loves Mikasa. And you, of course.”

“Maybe you should watch her then. That she doesn’t take your little girlfriend away.”

“Oh please, I can’t blame her. If Mikasa offered, I’d go for a roll in hay with her any time of the day.”, Ymir clicked her tongue, “That body…”

“You aren’t having naughty thoughts about my girl, are you Ymir.”, Eren really couldn’t believe what he was hearing. 

“I’m just saying.”, she gestured with her empty glass, “If she ever wants to experience the other side of the trench, send her my way.”

“I think I heard enough.”, Eren stood up, clapping Ymir on the shoulder. “Merry Christmas you demon.”

A grin was his answer.

 

On the bright side, Levi wasn’t the only one dressed like an idiot. There were plenty of elves, both male and female, deer, and even Santa, who Levi had creeping suspicion was an alcoholic, sneaking in sips from his flask when no one was watching. They were only background though, as the focus of the photoshoot were the models wearing the highest quality clothes. And Mikasa seemed to fit right in with them, much to Levi’s disbelief. Sure, she wasn’t the most chatty or energetic one, but she was working just fine, following Dot’s instructions to the letter. The old man was shouting something, Levi realized, and the elbow from the elf next to him suggested that he’s supposed to do something. 

“What?”, he called back, gesturing that he didn’t hear. 

“Elf on the shelf!”, Dot pointed at the wooden structure behind them. If you squinted hard enough, you could say that it was a giant shelf. “Climb on the top!”, the photographer ordered, “We need a person there.”

Well, when you are deep in shit, all you can do is keep swimming. Turning, Levi pulled himself up, not bothering to wait for an assistant to bring him the stairs. He was followed by a female elf, and after they were maneuvered into position, Dot gave them thumbs up and the cameras began clicking away. With my luck, I’ll probably go blind from the flashes, Levi thought, doing his best to keep up the festive expression on his face. The sacrifices you do for your family, those are truly great ones. 

“All right, that’s it!”, Dot called, right before Levi went completely and utterly insane, “Amazing work everyone!”

Climbing down from the shelf, he turned to help the girl down, all gentleman like, before walking straight to the changing room to get out of that stupid elf costume as soon as possible. 

“Levi!”, a hand grabbed his elbow, making him stop. He turned to face Mikasa, the “Fucking what?” dying on his lips. He saw her before, at the photoshoot, yet not from up close, and she just took his breath away. Her skin was even paler than usual, lips red, lashes dark, overall she seemed like the perfect ice queen, as that was probably the look the make-up artists were going for. Fuck, she was beautiful. That dumbass Eren was the luckiest man in the whole fucking world.

“You can keep the suit!”, she said, grinning, but Levi’s brain was only now coming back to earth and he didn’t understand a word she was saying. 

“What suit?”

“This.”, she tapped his chest, “The elf suit! I talked to Dot and we agreed that you look just perfect in it, so he said that you can keep yours. Amazing isn’t it?”

“Totally.”

If Hange ever sees him in this, she’s going to die from laughter, that was for sure.

 

“So, when do you get back to the shop?”

“You know me, man, if it were up to me I’d be there right now! So many orders to fulfill, so little time.”, the man sighed, “My wife would have a heart attack if I even suggested something like that, I better keep my mouth shut.”

“That’s fine, it’s good to spend some time with your family.”, Eren grinned behind his phone, knowing exactly how much of a workaholic Darius Zackly was. He was the big man, the one who owned the shop he and Mikasa got most of their toys from, but he didn’t like being called just a shop owner. No, he was an artist, in his own words. If there was one thing Darius loved, it was creating custom orders, stuff where he had to do something with his own hands, and admittedly he was fairly amazing with them. His love for work clashed with his love for family from time to time, disregarding that, he was a great friend and an amazing supplier. 

“Listen,”, there was a pause on the other end of the line, as Zackly most likely looked around himself to see if the coast was clear, and his voice dropped in a whisper, “you want something custom right?”

“Yep, you know me.”, it was easy to hear the excitement from Darius’s question, and Eren was more than happy to leave his needs in the man’s capable hands. “Most likely even some housework, I got a lot of ideas I’d love to discuss.”

“That’s amazing! Look, I’ll do my best to squeeze you in between Christmas and new year, how does that sound?”

“Wait, you’re going to work? Isn’t it holidays?”

Darius groaned.

“You really think I can spend a week out of my shop? Are you crazy? I’ll give you a call as soon as I’ll get a set date and we can meet and talk about….”, there was another voice on the other end of the line, clearly female, and clearly irritated.

“What?”, Eren could hear Zackly ask, “Work? Of course not, honey. Why would I discuss work when I’m at home, right? It’s… a wrong number, a mistake, that’s all.”, he forced out a laugh. “I was just telling them that this isn’t the house they were searching for, that’s all!“

“I’ll call you!”, he hissed into the phone, hanging up immediately after. 

Smiling, Eren put down his own, going back to the task at hand.

Cooking was an amazing activity. The pleasurable buzz of the alcohol combined with the music and the movements of his hands, creating an oasis of absolute calmness around him. Coming from the club, Eren realized that he wasn’t really tired, and the lack of Mikasa in the house forced him to find an activity he could entertain himself with. So, he started cooking. Cut the meat, salt it, turn the heat on. Eren was humming as he worked, slicing the potatoes into neat stripes, the knife not faltering for a moment. He did this a thousand times, after all. As he put the meat in the oven, the door clicked, indicating that Mikasa was home, so he moved to greet her, excited. 

“Hey there.”, she smiled, unbuttoning her coat while he moved to sweep her in a hug. He missed her. When they pulled back, Eren fingered the fabric of her scarf, frowning.

“You still wear this old thing?”, he asked, a bit surprised. It was still the same red scarf he gave her, all those years ago. He really had no idea how to do stuff like flirt and that, so when they were out, and she shivered he asked her if she was cold and wrapped his own scarf around her, because it felt like the right thing to do. She treasured it, apparently even more than he thought, because she was still wearing it. “Now that you are all chummy with the fashion people, can’t you get something, I dunno, more stylish?”

“I like this one.”, she answered, unwrapping the thing from her neck and putting it carefully on its resting place. Mikasa wouldn’t exchange the scarf Eren gave her for any other, it was invaluable to her. 

“What’s smelling so good?”, she asked, squeezing past Eren and walking inside the kitchen, sniffing audibly. 

Well, if she wanted to wear the old scarf, he surely wouldn’t stop her. Not that he would admit it, but the gesture was rather romantic, if you thought about it. Following her, he couldn’t hold the smile from his face. Christmas was still a week away, and he was already blessed. 

 

The alarm rang, waking Eren up. He rolled to his side, hand searching and not finding the person he expected. Eyes snapping open, he sat up, scratching the back of his head. What was the day today? Oh right. Christmas. Mikasa was gone, so she was probably downstairs, most likely tearing into the gifts they prepared for each other. Well, she had a few more things coming her way, but she had to wait for that. No reason to stay in bed, he followed her, just a little bit excited what she got for him. 

“Miki?”, he called when he entered the living room, not seeing her anywhere. Rubbing his eyes, he checked the kitchen, only to discover that she wasn’t there either. Did she go out? A bit lost, he went down to sit on the sofa, and as when he reached it his eyes went wide. There she was, lying on the couch, a light smile on her face. But it wasn’t her smile that made him lose his bearing. It was the stuff she was wearing, or rather, the lack of it. There was a ribbon around her neck, ending with a cute little bow, indicating that she most likely intended to be a present for him. A bigger stripe of shiny fabric was wrapped around her torso, hiding her nipples from view, not doing much to cover the rest of her chest. Eyes venturing lower, he could see her panties, a red thong, and the stockings, white and red striped, Christmas themed. The last part of her clothing was a Santa cap, sitting snugly at the top of her head. Swallowing, Eren moved closer, leaning on the furniture. Both because he wanted to take a closer look, but also because his knees really did feel like water. Mikasa watched him approach, the amused expression not leaving her face, and stretched, like a cat, which only made him want her that much more. 

“This.”, he reached out, gently brushing the bow at her neck with his fingers, “For me?”

Talking was hard. Thinking was hard. Hell, most of his body was hard right now. 

“Yes.”, she ran her hands up and down her sides, slowly, making his mouth water. “Now are you just going to stand there, or will you unwrap your present?”

With a shaking hand, he pulled the ribbon covering her breast open, sliding it away from her body. This, this was the best Christmas morning of his whole life. 

 

Ymir felt terrible, watching Krista open the gift from her, squirming in her seat. Because, as usual, she fucked everything up. So much time, she had so much time to get something for her, anything, but she forgot. She fucking forgot. She only remembered to get something a day before Christmas, and her last-minute crazy trip proved fruitless, not matter how hard she searched, she couldn’t find anything Krista would like. In a moment of total desperation, Ymir took the ugly sweater Eren gave her at work, as a joke, and packaged it, silently dreading of the storm to come. It had reindeer at the front, or it could very well be a mutant turtle, because the quality of the picture was subpar. And she even had no right to complain, because her gift to Eren was a paperclip. One. Groaning, she hid her face behind her hands, and expected the inevitable. 

“Oh my god, Ymir!”, here it comes. “It’s amazing!”

Wait what?

Looking up, she saw Krista energetically putting the sweater on, grinning. It was several sizes bigger, so it hung on her, the neckline reaching almost all the way to her shoulders. 

“You… Like it?”, Ymir asked, not believing what she was seeing.

“Of course! It’s so cute.”, Krista jumped to her feet, hugging her girlfriend tight before pressing a kiss to her still surprised face. “Thank you so much!”

“You…Ehm… You’re welcome. Really!”

The shorter girl was already pulling her upright.

“Come on, open my gift!”

All in all, Ymir decided that she really didn’t deserve such a nice person as Krista. But hell, she’ll take it. Any day of the week. 

 

Hange wasn’t laughing. She was looking him up and down, eyes wide, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. 

“Merry Christmas.”, tried Levi, taking a step to the side, “Wanna come in?”

She did, walking past him with the same expression of deep concentration on her face. He really had no idea what she was thinking about. Opening the door in the elf costume he got from the damn photoshoot was a good joke, wasn’t it? But then why wasn’t Hange laughing? As he was about to give up and ask her what’s wrong, she snapped her fingers.

“Gnome!”

Levi furrowed his brows.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re a gnome, right?”

So this is what she was thinking about. God damn it, she was smart, but she could be dense as hell about anything not scientific. 

“I’m actually…”

“It makes sense. The green suit, the hat, the pointy ears. See I first thought that you are an elf, but that didn’t really sit well with me. Then I thought that you might be a goblin, but those have sharp teeth, right? So, you must be a gnome!”

He couldn’t do it. Seeing how happy Hange was that she cracked his cryptic message, which in reality wasn’t meant to be cryptic at all, he couldn’t tell her the truth. After all, why did it even matter?”

“Yep, you got me. Not an elf, not a goblin, I’m a gnome.”

He really had to stop acting so nice to everyone, otherwise they would start thinking that he actually cared.

“And you’ve been gnomed.”

 

Christmas alone wasn’t always a bad thing. Jean woke up late, grabbed a breakfast in relatively empty lobby, and now sat at his room, browsing the internet on his laptop. Nope, not a bad thing at all. It’s important to understand that you always need a time for yourself, to reflect on your present situation, to remember your past and make plans for the future. You should always treat your body, but also your spirit, because you only get one, and are stuck with it for the rest of your days. And this peace he was experiencing now, it was a welcome change from visiting his mother, who would always ask him those stupid questions, like Jean, do you have a girl yet? Jean, how is work? He loved his mom, he did, and would come to visit her soon, that was for sure, but now, all he felt was the silence and calmness around him. Then, his phone rung.

Hitch: Christmas coffee? ;)

Jean managed to be out of the door in about five seconds. 

 

It was good to finally rest from the never-ending bar work, Armin had to admit. His body was aching, as he was pushing himself much harder than he used to, the physical activity soothing. Maybe he should start going to the gym with Mikasa, he thought as he watched himself in the mirror, flexing. Well, long way to go in this department. Grinning, he put his shirt back on and headed to the kitchen, scavenging the room for breakfast supplies. Yet while the peace and quiet was all well and good, he was already looking forward to the parties that would follow. It gave him a pause. He, Armin, was looking forward to parties. Shaking his head, he put the water to boil, opening the fridge with a tug. How the times change. The reminiscence brought back other memories, some pleasing, some not that much. With a sigh, Armin looked out of the window, watching the thin sheet of snow that will most likely disappear before noon.

“Merry Christmas Annie, wherever you are.”

 

“You really have to go now?”, Sasha sighed, watching Connie dress, “It’s Christmas, you know.”

“I’m sorry, I really am.”, he pulled on his jacket, “But the supplier wants me to meet him today.”

Sasha crossed her arms on her chest, pouting. What kind of maniac set a meeting on a freaking Christmas day? Who’s even working? Sensing her dark mood, Connie leaned in, pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

“I’ll try to get back as soon as possible, I promise.”

And with that, she was alone. On Christmas day. Amazing, simply amazing. Groaning, she was wheeling herself away when someone knocked at the door. She turned around, hoping that Connie came back, but when she threw the door open that surely wasn’t her boyfriend on the other side. A girl was standing there, young, and a boy, both looking rugged and in clothes with too many holes in them. 

“Sasha?”, the girl asked, looking at the boy and back at the woman. “I.. came to say sorry and..”, her eyes kept sliding back to the wheelchair, no matter how many times she pulled it back. “I’m so sorry for shooting you.”, finally managing to push out her message, she sniffled, wiping her nose with a sleeve, “And merry Christmas.”, she added, more like a whisper than a statement. 

Sasha didn’t say a word. Instead, she wheeled herself forward, and enveloped the surprised young girl in a hug. 

“Merry Christmas to you too. Gabi.”

The boy’s name was Falco, and apparently they were best friends, since ever. They lived together on the street, joining with a few groups from time to time, but mostly it was the two of them against the world. Gabi didn’t want to talk about her parents, or how she ended up homeless, dodging the questions with sidelong glances and one- or two-word answers. Falco didn’t talk. Apparently, he was very shy, as Gabi claimed, but Sasha didn’t miss the way his eyes scanned the room when she invited them in. 

“You know, I can get you help.”, said Sasha, when Gabi and Falco ate the plate of cookies she brought them, hungrily eyeing the table for more. 

“We are fine.”, Gabi reached out and intertwined her fingers with Falco’s. “We always find a way.”

Sasha wasn’t about to give up so easily, but apparently she needed more cookies to convince the kids, so she wheeled herself back to the kitchen, pulling another batch from the oven and putting the finishing touches on them. As she came back into the living room, she found it empty.

Honestly, she should have seen it coming. She was stupid, blinded by the appearance of the girl she talked with for so long, the one that for some reason made her heart ache. She should have seen that the sneaky looks Falco kept throwing around weren’t just to map the room, but to find the valuables in it too. They were living on a street a long time, it was the only way they knew. Calm, Sasha put the plate on the table, checking through the stuff that they took. Her wallet was empty, because she stupidly left it in her coat, at least her I.D and credit card remained. It wasn’t much, as most of her savings were in the bank, but gripping the empty leather in her hand, Sasha had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. How did Gabi even find her in the first place? How did she know where Sasha lived? Did she seek her out only to rob her? The regret she displayed when she first appeared, was it all an act? Anger, helplessness, sadness. It was too much. Going back to the kitchen, Sasha pulled out the bottle of vodka they kept there and took a large gulp.

Merry fucking Christmas, she thought.

To me.


	57. Well Deserved Rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most likely the last chapter of this year, it was a wild ride.  
> And what's better than to end it with some smut?
> 
> Enjoy!

The days after Christmas were always nice. Even though one might say that Eren did nothing but waste them, because he was completely content with doing exactly that. Nothing. With the few precious days off he got, by Erwin’s grace, one might feel compelled to spend them doing stuff, but not him. It was the third day home, and here he was again, lying on the couch in front of the TV, mindlessly watching. The need to just set the switch to off and simply relax was there, and he did his best to satisfy it, because he knew very well that when he returns to work, it will be hectic. It was winter, and that meant more and more broken bones, injuries related to ice, and other issues connected with the weather. On top of that, new year was coming up, which meant fireworks. Even deep in his comfy zone, Eren grimaced. Fireworks were always a lot of fun. Until you lost a finger or two. Ah well, he didn’t have to think about those unpleasant moments. Yet.

There was only thing that he missed right now to be completely happy, and that was Mikasa. Unluckily for him, she decided that two days of rest were enough for her and went out a few hours ago to the gym. 

“Gotta catch the times before the flood.”, she said, putting her jacket on.

“Flood?”

“You know, the new year resolution guys. January is always a killer.”

“Levi should be happy.”

She grinned, bending to kiss his cheek. 

“I bet.”

As on cue, the door opened and closed, and she was back. Soon after, the couch dipped underneath her weight and she tapped her lap in invitation which he gladly took, resting his head there. Now it was just perfect. Mikasa’s fingers dipped into his hair, combing it, the black lines of her tattoo flashing against the pale skin of her wrist, while she hummed to herself, a melody he didn’t recognize. It was pleasing nonetheless.

“It’s getting so long.”, she said, scratching his scalp. 

“Maybe you should cut it then.”, he offered. It was only fair, after all, he cut her hair too. Month and half since then, it grew out a bit, and now was framing her pretty face almost all the way down to the shoulders. She really did have nice and long eyelashes, now that he thought about it…

Wait, did he just notice that after five years?

“Maybe I should.”, Mikasa’s grip tightened a bit, and she tugged, “But I like playing with it.”

“Do you now.”, Eren turned on her lap, staring right up to her eyes, and smiled. 

“I do…”, her hand slid down, ghosting over his cheek instead, “but there are other parts of you I like playing with more. I have some ideas I’d like to try out.”

“Is that an offer?”, Eren did his best to keep the excitement out of his voice, but it still trembled a bit.

Mikasa just nodded, her smile getting sexier by a minute. 

“Then I accept. Wholeheartedly.”

“Well, in that case, we better cut your hair right away, no?”

One haircut later, the mane still reached down to his collarbones, but it was no longer such a terrible mess. Mikasa didn’t have the heart to cut it too short, because, in her own words, he did look good with long hair. A flattery. And now, with the evening slowly descending outside, they found themselves in the bedroom, eagerly expecting to start the game they both enjoyed the most. Mikasa already slipped out to get ready, and he was left waiting, as usual, the time stretching. Just as his knees started to ache, the door opened, and the play began. 

“See, lately there were some concerns about me being heavy.”, Eren could hear the clicking of Mikasa’s heels as she came close, eyes trained downward as she ordered him to, the tips of her black shoes coming into his view. “So tonight, we will focus our training on endurance. Sounds good?” The silence that followed made him realize that she was in fact waiting for his answer. 

Oh, so she remembered his little joke, that’s what she meant. Well, Eren guessed that he shouldn’t be surprised. Women tend to have unpleasantly good memory about certain things. 

“Ehm,”, he cleared his throat, mentally preparing for what’s to come, “Of course mistress.”

“Let’s begin then.”

She was standing in front of him, apparently still waiting, and it took him a few seconds to understand what she wants from him. Leaning down, Eren kissed the toes of her boots, one at a time, before straightening. 

“That’s a good boy.”, she praised, petting his hair before walking behind him, putting the collar she pulled seemingly out of nowhere around his neck. “Tight enough?”, she asked, and when he nodded she rewarded him with a smile. The leash clipped to the metal circle at front, she tugged at it, giving him a clear order to follow her. While crawling next to her, Eren took a quick peek up to see Mikasa in all her glory, unable to resist anymore. Seems like she was really liking the latex catsuit, because today her body was covered by it, paired with the classic gloves and knee-high steel heeled boots, everything in her signature black color. As soon as he took her in, Eren looked back at the ground, not wanting to be caught in this little rule-breaking he committed. Mikasa’s punishments could be …. severe. 

Luckily for his knees, as crawling was not exactly comfortable, they soon reached their destination, which showed to be nothing else but her favorite chair, large black thing, more of a throne really, and Mikasa sat down gracefully, guiding him with the leash to come into sidelong stop in front of her. 

“Hands and knees, back straight.”, she ordered, and as usual, he followed immediately, getting into the position she desired from him. “No moving,”, she began, picking her legs from the ground and resting them on his back, crossed at ankles. “let the stamina training begin.”

Time is an interesting thing. It can either fly as an arrow, or crawl, like a snail, making every second seemingly as long as a minute or more. With the position he was in, Eren was certainly feeling the latter. While Mikasa seemed completely at peace, gloved fingers tapping at her phone, pointedly not paying attention to him, he started feeling all the little signs of your body that are ignored in day to day life. His knees were starting to hurt, as he was forced to hold the same position, the edges of her boots digging into his skin, and no amount of teeth clenching prevented him from doing what he craved. Changing his position, a little bit, into a more comfortable one. And of course, in the eyes of Mikasa, that was a mistake. 

“What did I say?”, she asked, seemingly outraged, lifting one of her legs and dragging the sharp end of her heel over his back, leaving a red line in her wake, “What did I say?”, repeating the question, she dug the other metal heel into his side, scratching him with the first one again. And again. Merciless

“No moving.”, he growled through his clenched teeth, this time against the acute pain.

“Is that order so hard to follow?”, Mikasa increased the pressure of her foot, and Eren could feel his eyes watering, “Huh?”

“No mistress. I’m so sorry mistress.”

Finally, she stopped, and he could breathe a relieved sigh. 

“Now that just won’t do.”, with a sigh as if he was interrupting some very serious activity, she put her legs back on the floor, “Get me my cane, pet. I need a firmer punishment for you.”, the corners of her blood-red painted lips curved upwards, “And thank me first for the discipline.”

Knowing exactly what she wanted, Eren kissed her boots again, the instruments of the torture, before making his way to where the cane was, retrieving it, and bringing it back to her. Crawling, he was forced to hold the instrument in his teeth. Of course, she could always stand up and bring the cane herself, but watching him entertained her greatly, and it was a good reminder of who he was tonight. Her pet, nothing else. Presenting the piece of wood to Mikasa, which she graciously accepted, curling her fingers against the handle, Eren once again returned to his previous position. Swinging her legs back up on top of him, Mikasa reclined back in the chair, twirling the cane playfully. Eren didn’t do a bad job as a footrest. He held his position for a long time, not moving an inch, yet the slip up had to come, sooner or later. The pain from the scratches and his side, where she dug her heel in, added to the expanding repertoire of feelings that were bothering him. Honestly, he did his best to follow her order, to be still as a statue, but this game was rigged from the start. The pain, the humiliation, the fact that he was painfully hard between the legs, that was too much to handle, and a shiver ran through his body, one he was unable to stop. Which, of course, didn’t escape Mikasa’s eagle eye. The cane landed on Eren’s ass with a thud, sting spreading, 

“Fuck”, he gasped out, unable to hold it in, which, of course, was another mistake. 

Mikasa hit him again, the top of his thighs this time, and when he moved with the blow she repeated it. Rigged game indeed, because every time she hit him, his body jolted, just a fraction, but that was enough for her to justify hitting him again. If it didn’t feel so good, he’d probably be angry right now. Yet it was starting to be too much to bear. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t hold still, shaking with both excitement and pain, clearly breaking the established rules. So, as was her right, she punished him. Hard. The cane was raising and falling in an intense tempo, lighting his backside on fire. He couldn’t do it, not anymore. With a shout, Eren’s arms gave out, and he slid down on his elbows, tears and sweat running down his face. The motion made Mikasa’s feet, which were up until now resting on his back, fall off and land on the floor. 

“Apologies, mistress, please… I….”, he was rambling now, the sensation too much. Blessedly, she understood, and the cane stopped in its movements, the punishment done. For now. Eren took a shuddering breath, not sure what to expect next. He failed in his training, didn’t he?

“Seems like we will have to work on your stamina some more, baby,”, she said, looking over his collapsed body on the floor. “But not tonight.” The long exhale that left Eren’s lungs was clearly one of relief. He himself wasn’t sure if he could go on, because Mikasa surely wasn’t holding back with the cane. His whole body seemed to hurt, back scratched, ass beat, the point where she pressed her heel into him stinging. 

“Come here.”, a soft whisper, and Eren obeyed, straightening up on his knees to look up at her. His kind mistress reached out, stroking his hair, and he couldn’t help and nuzzled into her touch, the latex glove cold on his skin. “You did well, baby, very well. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you mistress.”

“That’s a good boy.”, with a last pat, she pulled back and stood up, towering over him, cold and commanding, “But my boots were supposed to be on your back, not on the ground. They are dirty. Clean them. No hands.” 

Bending again, with his back loudly protesting, the burning lines left behind by her heels stretched, Eren started planting open mouthed kisses on the toe and to the sides of her right shoe, wet sounds filling the room. It was awkward as hell, both because he wasn’t allowed to use his hands, and because she didn’t lift her legs, keeping both of her feet firmly on the floor. That forced him to keep his head almost to the ground, dragging his tongue over the latex. The work was slow, unrushed, perfect for them both. Eren could feel Mikasa’s breathing quickening as she watched him, because while licking her boots was an addicting activity for him, the same went for her. The submission he displayed turned her on rather quickly, it always did. It took some time for him to reach the edge of the shoe, where the catsuit was tucked into it, as it went all the way up to her knee, and when he did, she quickly ordered him back down.

“The other one. Now. “

Starting from the bottom again, as ordered, he slowly but surely worked his way up. Dragging his mouth over the toe, licking the sides, with Mikasa being more and more aroused by the second. To his surprise however, when he once again got to the top and grabbed the zipper between his teeth, as they always did it, she shook her head. Following the command immediately, he released it, not sure what she wanted from him. 

“N-No. Down. Now.”, Mikasa pushed his head away, taking a step back. “We are done for tonight.”

His limbs felt like water, the high from the play still going strong, but there was something wrong with her, he could say that even in the state he was in. Confused, Eren mirrored her, coming to stand next to her, not sure what was going on. If she wanted to end the play here and there, he guessed that he would be okay with that, as she was the top for the night, yet for some reason she didn’t seem satisfied, arms crossed on her chest. 

“What’s wrong? Miki?”, reaching out, he placed a hand on her shoulder, gently tugging her to face him. When she did, a tiny smile appeared on her face. 

“You..”, she gestured to his neck, “You’re still collared.”

“Well, you are still in full gear too.”, he countered, pointing out the fact she was still wearing her catsuit, gloves and boots, only the footwear was now even shinier after he licked every part of it. 

She giggled a bit, covering her mouth with her hand. Cute.

“Seriously, what’s wrong? Was I that bad?”

“No, of course not, you did well. It’s just… something I wanted to try tonight.”

“What’s that then?”, curiosity rising, Eren reached out to smooth a wild strand of hair from her face.

“I read that you aren’t supposed to have sex at the end of every play, because it…”, she waved her hand a bit, “breaks the character or something. I wanted to be as professional today as possible,” she gestured towards her figure, “I even picked out the outfit that shows no skin.”, a little adorable pout appeared on her lips. She was supposed to feel powerful, in command, but that wasn’t really working out. Her sex was aching for fulfillment, and she was expected to deny herself? How did that work. “I don’t like it. I’m insanely turned on right now, and I’m not supposed to let you fuck me. It sucks.”

“Well, you know. We can make our own rules.”, he leaned in to kiss her cheek, dragging his lips over the scar, “The only limit is our imagination.”

Suddenly, a gloved hand gripped his hair, and she forcefully pressed her mouth on his, tracing the outlines of his teeth with her tongue. “Get on the fucking bed.”, she growled, letting go of him and walking back to the place where they stored their toys. 

“Yes mistress.”

He couldn’t spend all his time watching her ass, hypnotizingly swaying in the tight catsuit, he had orders to fulfill. Slowly laying down on the mattress, he still gasped at the contact, because his back was scratched and beat, and it stung. Like hell. The clicking of heels announced that Mikasa was back, sitting on the bed and unzipping her boots, pulling them from her feet. Barefoot, she turned around and tapped the headboard, giving him a clear order to stretch his hands over his head, cuffing them afterwards. Seems like she still wanted to be in charge. Well, he wouldn’t question her lead. Once he was tied, Mikasa ran her fingers through the items she brought, pulling out a blindfold. 

“I really liked how you took away my senses last time, so I’ll show you the same courtesy.”, she smiled down at him, “You’ll love it.”

Soon, he was blind, just like she wanted him to be.

“What am I going to do with you…”, Eren could feel her fingers, idly playing with his most private parts. Personally, he would very much prefer if they just fucked, right here and there, but it wasn’t his place to say. “I got it.” With that, her hand disappeared, and he could feel the bed dipping around him, indicating that Mikasa was shifting her position. A presence appeared, right above his head, soon followed by the unmistakable sound of her catsuit zipper opening, and Eren could smell her arousal, right above his face. 

“I think I’m going to let you eat me out. Would you like that?”

He swallowed.

“Of course, mistress.”

“Good.”

The familiar heat pressing against him after was easy to identify, even blinded. The tricky part came now, as he was supposed to pleasure her with nothing to guide him. He couldn’t see, he couldn’t use his hands, and Mikasa was no help either. Few times he missed, licking her covered inner thigh, much to her amusement. 

“Come on baby, try harder.”, she laughed, but didn’t guide him. That would be too easy. Determined to prove himself, Eren pressed on, and soon found his goal, his tongue encountering something wet and hot, which made Mikasa moan. There we go. Knowing where to divert his attention now, he pushed on with the task, mouthing her slit, tracing with the tip of his tongue the things he couldn’t see. But his quest only got harder. Now he knew where her entrance was, but finding her clit, that was another thing altogether. Delving in between her folds, Eren did his best, searching, but came up short. 

“Need some motivation?”, Mikasa asked, in a voice that she did her best to be stern. It came out a bit breathy, nonetheless. Deciding to reward her faithful pet a tiny bit, she lifted her leg, and put her foot against his hardness, pressing it flat against his stomach. It wasn’t hard to understand her game. The more effort he put into pleasing her, the more her foot moved, giving him the friction he craved. It wasn’t much, but he was thankful for it. When he finally managed to locate her clit, and flicked it with the tip of his tongue, her whole body shook, and it translated into a very pleasurable massage on his groin. The closer she was, to better it was for him, and when Mikasa finally did come, with a breathy moan, he was very close to his own peak, almost spilling over his stomach. As he was licking her through her finish, drawing it out for her, he was about to reach it, but just before he could, the pressure of her foot disappeared. 

“Can’t have you coming yet, baby, we are far from done. Don’t want to ruin my fun, do you?.”

And all he could do was grit his teeth and accept the fate that she bestowed upon him. The bed moved again, as Mikasa crawled away from her perch on his face, and then he could hear her looking for something, finding it, and coming back to him. She tapped the rubber ball of the gag against his mouth, making him open it so she could slide it in, buckling it behind his head. There, now he was in a similar position that she was, a few days back. 

“It feels good, doesn’t it.”, she whispered right next to his ear, lips brushing it, “To have all your control taken away, given to me.” 

It did feel rather nice, and Eren made his best to produce a sound of agreeing form behind the gag. 

“There’s one more thing.”, Eren could feel Mikasa’s fingers on his nipples, playing with them, “Don’t think that I forgot about those.”

A tiny whine escaped his throat, and she responded with a delighted giggle, booping his nose. When the tiny jaws of the clamp closed around his nipple, he groaned, as the bite added to the pain he was already drowning in. “Shh.”, Mikasa cooed, putting the second clamp to work. The chain connecting them rattled afterwards, with her pulling on it, the bite worsening. 

“I like you like this.”, she stated, tugging at the chain, “Under me, mute, blind, in my power. It’s intoxicating, really.”, she giggled again, “How the tables have turned. Now, you are my slave.”

Eren let out a pleading whine, hoping that she will finally do something, anything, about his member, because it was straining wildly non-stop, all the way since she first used him as a footstool.

“Aw, needy baby.”, Mikasa seemed to take notice of his problem, and Eren was rewarded with the feeling of her fingers on his shaft, stroking, so tantalizingly slowly. “You want me to ride you?”

The “Yes, please.”, was muffled by the gag, although still audible. 

Before he could collect his bearings, Eren was overwhelmed by the feeling of her tight heat, sliding down until she was sitting flush on his hips. Even the pain from his multiple punishments he took paled in comparison to this, and while it was still there, it was nowhere near as strong as the pleasure that was now coursing through his veins. That was cut rather short, as soon there was the click and the familiar tightening around the base of him, the ring being deftly secured in place. In a way, he welcomed it. While it was still humiliating, it’s going to prevent him from finishing first, and he always wanted Mikasa to be the one who comes before him, both because he simply wanted her to be satisfied, but also because the feeling of her coming around him, that was the best stuff. When Mikasa started moving, first in her signature circles, stretching herself, before rocking back and forth, Eren’s eyes rolled up beneath the blindfold. Once she deemed herself ready, the planted her feet into the mattress for leverage, hands reaching behind her to anchor on his thighs, and leaning back, she started bouncing. He wasn’t really fucking her, it was more accurate to say that she was fucking herself, simply using him as a human dildo. 

Having the ring on was rather handy, because now he didn’t have to hold himself back at all. Blinded and gagged, Eren resorted to the only thing he could really be doing. Lying down and letting her take all the pleasure she wanted. It wasn’t the first time that she used him as a fucktoy, and he supposed that it was only fair, since he did the same to her number of times too. Equality. The sounds of her moving up and down, combined with her audible moans and his own, muffled ones, were soon joined by a buzzing sound, and it didn’t take Eren long to understand that she was using the wand on herself, vibrating it right against her clit. The mental image was enough for him to buck underneath her, pulling at his bindings like a wild animal, desperate to finally release. Just as he did it, Mikasa let out a rather loud scream, and her tempo faltered, the walls of her sex fluttering around Eren’s member. Only when she was done, Mikasa opened the ring, and once again began riding him. The buzzing of the wand didn’t stop, joined by the pull of the chain, as she was most likely hoping to get another finish out of this, but Eren spent nearly all the evening turned on, and he couldn’t hold it back anymore. Yet his member didn’t go soft, even as he came, because the tight heat of her walls kept stimulating him, right through his own orgasm, and Mikasa gladly took advantage of that. Up and down, she basically slammed herself onto him, again and again, the bed creaking with the strength of her trusts. And she came, for the second time, finally stopping the tireless machine that was her body. Underneath her, Eren was moaning weakly, knowing that he’s going to have so many bruises around his groin. Again. In their relationship, the phrase “I’m going to fuck you so hard that you won’t be able to walk” was applicable both ways. Mikasa’s riding was powerful. 

“Well, I’m done for tonight.”, she breathed out once she climbed off him, “Hmm, you still seem full of life.”, Eren could feel her fingers, playing with his somehow still hard member, “You wanna come again?”

Unable to answer, he nodded rapidly, hoping that she understood. 

“Eager, so eager.”, tapping the head of his sensitive organ, Mikasa made him wince. “I have an idea.”, she declared out of nowhere, and Eren could feel her hand on the back of his head, pulling the blindfold away. 

“Want you to see this.”, with that, she straightened on the bed, taking off her gloves and pulling the zipper of her catsuit open, freeing her chest from the tight confines of the bodysuit. It was rather a spectacle, watching it emerge, slowly, ivory against the ebony. After that, she settled between his legs, grinning. At first, Eren thought that she’s going to blow him, but then he watched as she pressed her tits to his shaft, one from each side, effectively creating a way for him to slide in. Mikasa’s breasts weren’t big, but they were perfectly shaped, and they fit around him snugly. With a last few adjustments she smiled up at him, the sight erotic as hell.

“C’mon big boy, fuck my breasts.”

As if he could ever say no to such a request. Hips snapping up into her, he did his best, and it only got better because she opened her mouth, flicking her tongue against the head. It took him no time at all to reach his peak, spilling over her chest and throat, groaning helplessly into the gag. Slowly, Mikasa crawled up over him, latex brushing against his heated skin, stopping only to pull the rubber from his mouth, and then she was kissing him, as messily and aggressively as before, with the hint of pleasured tiredness beneath it. Her tongue slid alongside his, taking all of him as he belonged to her, ending the lip lock with a savage bite to his bottom lip. 

“Shower?”, she asked, breathless, when they separated, but somehow, even sweaty as he was, Eren didn’t feel like taking one yet.

“Another kiss?”, he suggested, making her smirk.

“Only if you ask nicely.”

“Please, mistress, kiss me?”

So, she did.

 

With both his back and front taking a beating during the night, Eren decided to sleep on his side, because even with Mikasa’s skilled aftercare applied, it still stung. The position didn’t matter much to her, and she snuggled as close as possible, partaking in his body heat. Footrest and a heater in one, amazing how talented her fiancé was. 

“Where did you even get that idea?”

“What idea?”, Mikasa’s speech was slow, addled, as her body was falling asleep. It was funny, seeing the change from the merciless latex-clad dominatrix who left behind so many marks on his body to this soap scented yawning cute mess with damp hair in bed with him, yet Eren knew that those are just two sides of the same woman he loved to death.

“You know, the whole “no sex after scene” thing.”

Her nose twitched a bit.

“A website.”

“Website huh?”

Seeing him starting to laugh, she poked him in the chest.

“Hey! I took some ideas from there before, and I never heard you complaining.”

“I’m not saying it’s a bad rule,”, grabbing the hand she poked him with, he pressed a kiss to her wrist, right on the tattoo “just not for us.”

“It’s fine,”, she shrugged, putting her head on his chest, right above the heart. She liked hearing it beat, and the steady rhythm always lulled her to sleep. “I like making my own rules anyway.”, she added in a whisper, eyes closed.

“So do I, baby,”, Eren whispered back, watching her spiral down into the much needed rest. “so do I.”


	58. New Year's Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018 was fun, so let's hope that 2019 will be even better ( and maybe some happiness in the manga amongst all the angst? please? )  
> I do hope that y'all enjoyed the celebrations and holiday!  
> And thank you for sticking this long with me. ;)
> 
> Enjoy!

As it is with most of the good things in life, even this time of peace they enjoyed together had to end.

“I know I said that you can most likely take the week off,”, Erwin was saying, a hint of an apology in his voice, “but we are really shorthanded, and we need everyone able. So, can I count on you?” 

Eren’s eyes flew over to meet Mikasa’s grays, and he offered her a shrug. Judging from the pout that formed on her lips, she knew almost instantly what he was implying. He sighed.

“Of course, sir. I’ll be there right away.”

He hung up, coming to the couch, where Mikasa was sitting, the movie they were watching on pause in front of it. 

“I’m sorry.”, he said, “but..”

“It’s fine.”, she shook her head, giving him a smile, “This is important, I know. Just go.”

After leaning in to get his goodbye kiss, Eren pushed himself away and shrugged on his jacket, only pausing in the door to call the classic “I love you!”, before leaving. Sure, relaxing was nice and all, but when the hospital needed him, he would answer. Always.

 

Arriving at his destination after a drive through the city, which was admittedly less clogged than he expected, Eren was greeted in the break room by no one else but Ymir, bleary eyed and obviously tired. 

“Not resting?”, he asked, watching her empty her coffee in a single gulp.

She shook her head.

“Krista was needed in the archives, so I just said to myself, fuck it, what am I going to do home alone.”, Ymir let out a long exhale, “Best decision of my life. Really.”

“Well, don’t worry, I am here to save you now, fair maiden.”

“Oh, there is more than enough work for both of us, brave knight.”, she stood, throwing away the plastic cup and stretching, “Get changed, we have a lot of shit to do.”

Eren saluted.

“Yes ma’am.”

 

It turned out that Ymir was right, as usual, and basically as soon as he reported in, there was a patient waiting. 

“Firework accident.”, the nurse was reading from the card in a monotone voice. “Hand injury, removal of fingers.”

Seems like some people were starting early with the new year celebrations, as it was still a few days away. Eren clicked his tongue, leaning in to inspect the wound up close. Luckily, the patient was sedated, asleep, so he could do his work in peace. Nurse already cleaned most of the blood away, so he could clearly see that the damage was bad, but not as bad as he feared. Two of his fingers, index and middle ones, had to go, that was for sure, there was no way to save them. But with a bit of luck and some stitching Eren was confident that he could save the patient’s thumb. Nodding to the nurse, he got to work. 

Few hours later, he was already working on someone else, picking out lead balls from the intestines of an unfortunate thief who picked the wrong house to break in, and got greeted with a shotgun to the gut. He didn’t even notice that the day outside turned into evening and was slowly but surely progressing to the night. 

 

Working at the archives wasn’t bad, and most of the time Krista enjoyed it. Some people could surely find it boring, just sitting in a small office next to the records, endlessly solving problems over e-mails or answering requests for specific files to be picked out. But she liked it. She could work at her own pace, do stuff her own way, as long as she did everything that was asked of her. So far, there wasn’t a single complaint recorded about her work. It was fair to say that Krista did miss human interaction, from time to time, as most of her shift she talked to a computer. Modern age had its perils. 

Checking the clock on the wall, she could see that her shift coming to an end, and with basically all her work done for today, she had some time to sit back and relax, a luxury that Ymir just a few rooms away surely couldn’t afford. Krista reclined back in her chair, closing her eyes, and allowed her mind to wander, just for a few minutes, she promised herself. No more dozing off, damn it. The stream of her memories carried her back to the Christmas eve, and the night that followed, an event she thought about a lot, lately. They were both a bit tipsy, and Ymir still probably had the need to prove that she really did love her after that gift. Honestly, Krista wasn’t lying when she said that she loved the sweater. It was funny, and something that would always remind her of Ymir, any time she looked at it. But her girlfriend thought otherwise, and it translated into an amazing night, one that Krista blushed about when she recalled it. Ymir was so rough with her back then, pinning her down to the mattress, whispering all those dirty things to her ear while holding her down, it was ….. intoxicating. In her office, Krista bit her bottom lip, sliding a hand into her hair, remembering all those spicy details. In short, she loved it, and would go for it again, but Ymir usually wasn’t like that. Most of the time she was gentle, despite her brash nature, and careful. Maybe, Krista thought, maybe I should speak to her about it. Tell her to lose up a bit, to roughen up. Maybe…

She shook her head, straightening in the chair, forcing the pleasant feeling down before it overcomes her. Krista really had no intention of being caught with her hand in her pants, that would be beyond awkward. But the decision to say something to Ymir when they are home again remained. After all, what was there to lose? Satisfied with her own thinking, she moved her attention back to work, finishing up the little details. There was no rush, was there?

 

“Seriously, what’s eating you?”

Levi looked up from the bills, watching Hange take a seat across the table. 

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been acting strange for some time now. Come on, tell me!”

“You’re just imagining things.”, he waved his hand, hoping that she’ll take it as a cue to leave, “I was always like this.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”, she made no move to leave. Not like he expected her to give up that easily, but man can hope. “There’s something…”

She couldn’t know, there was just no way. Still, under her piercing gaze, Levi had to fight the urge to pocket his phone that was lying innocently next to him on the table. He was pretty sure that if he would unlock it, Petra’s number would still be ready to dial, but the green button never pressed. He forced himself to calm down. She’s just guessing. Easy. Just keep your cool. 

“You probably injected yourself with some virus over at that shitty lab of yours.”, he said in his usual bored voice, looking back to the paperwork, “If you die, I expect some part of your things as heritage.”

Still scanning him, Hange stood up, making her way towards the exit.

“And where are you going?”, Levi frowned. She just came here, didn’t she?

“Just going to make some changes to my last will and testament, nothing serious.”, and with a mysterious smile, she was gone. 

No, there was no way she could find out about his dilemma. None. With a feeling of uneasiness, he just couldn’t chase away, Levi did his best to focus back on the bills, letting the rows of numbers devour him. At least the new year party was just few days away. He can unwind there. 

 

Sasha wheeled herself into the room, slamming the door closed behind her. On the other side, Connie let out a long groan, and she could hear the chair scraping as he sat down at the table. She pressed her forehead against the cool wood, mentally cursing herself. Their fights were getting worse, and it was entirely her fault. She was more and more angry, at herself really, but she kept letting her rage out on Connie, who was completely innocent. But what was she supposed to say? 

“Hey, you remember the girl who shattered my spine? Well, we started talking and she randomly came to my house, and robbed my wallet, whoopsie. Want some cake?”

Yea, right, that’s not going to work. She was so stupid, it was astonishing. Sasha, why don’t we trust the obviously homeless thief and invite her in? Oh, but what a splendid idea Sasha’s brain, lets get right on it! Most of the time, she just wished she could forget about it all, and move on. But some part of her kept clinging to the memories. The look in Gabi’s eyes, the way she apologized to her… Of course, she was most likely just acting, and Sasha was eating it all up. The dumbass she was. 

And now she was poisoning her relationship with her amazing boyfriend, who was nothing but supportive, and was now blaming himself because he thought that she was angry about the fact that he had to leave on Christmas. To meet a man they needed for the bar, which was her idea in the first place. Taking a deep breath, she opened her laptop, and opened a supplier list, hoping to get lost in the work for a time. Whatever the new year would bring, Sasha hoped that it would be better than this one. 

 

“I think I want to talk to her.”, Armin said, mentally dreading the answer from his therapist.

Hitch was silent, and the only thing he could hear was her tapping the notebook with her pencil. 

“And what do you expect from it?”, she asked, most likely trying to decipher the motive behind his sudden decision.

“Closure, I guess.”

“The silence from her part could be considered closure. Perhaps she doesn’t want to see you again. I’m not saying that’s the case,”, Hitch shifted in her chair, “but are you prepared if it is?”

“I think so, yes.”, Armin’s eyes traced the ceiling he knew so well, after so many sessions, “Even if she really doesn’t want to see me anymore, as long as I’ll hear her say it, I’ll understand.”

“Well, it’s been over two months, if you really think you are ready, I won’t discourage you. It is an important decision however, so I’d advice that you sleep on it a few times and see how it goes. Maybe after the new year?”

“All right.”, he chuckled, “Sounds like a great start to a new one.” 

Maybe It would be his last conversation with Annie in his life, but for some reason, he was looking forward to it, whatever the outcome. 

 

Thinking back, Eren was sure that he didn’t expect to spend the last day of the year at work. But here he was, sitting across the table from Ymir, having a silent staring contest. They had the day shift, from morning all the way to evening, so just a few hours back he had to wake up, untangle himself from Mikasa’s warm embrace, and drive through the city to relieve Onya, who worked the night. 

“At least we’ll get to the party.”, he said, trying to lighten Ymir’s mood.

She snorted.

“We’ve been here most of the last week, we deserve it.”

She was correct. The last few days Eren felt that the only thing he did was work, drive home, fall asleep, and repeat the circle. 

“And we’ll be late anyway.”, Ymir pointed out, adding insult to injury. 

“We’ll be there for midnight, that’s the most important part.”

“Right, whatever.”, she cracked her knuckles, looking left and right, before leaning closer. “I need to ask you something. Have you talked to Krista lately?”

“Uhm, can’t say I have. Why?”

“She’s been acting… strange.”

“Strange how?”

“Fuck, I don’t know. Strange!”, Ymir sat back, crossing her arms, “Giving me weird looks and shit.”

“Maybe she just finally noticed how ugly you are.”, Eren stroked his chin, thoughtful, “And is figuring out the way to leave you.”

“Very funny Yeager.”, she stood up, throwing him a very ugly look, “Go fuck yourself.”

“Hey, I was just joking, you know that, right? Ymir?”

But she already stormed out of the door. What the hell was wrong with her? Well, maybe Eren could decipher it at the party, it was just a few hours away anyway.

 

It was going pretty great, all things considered. From her perch at the bar, Mikasa could see that there was tension written in the bodies of her friends, especially Connie and Sasha, but they put up a friendly face for the guests. Levi also looked like he was in serious need of relaxation, and Krista and Armin seemed to be thinking about something, only paying half a mind to their surroundings. Other than that, it was amazing. Onya arrived, and once again became the heart of the party, with Hitch and Jean for support. Carla seemed to having fun, talking with Hange, who for once wasn’t writing in her notebook. Miracle, really. As the night progressed, Eren and Ymir finally appeared, and she made sure to kiss her boyfriend in a place where Levi could see them, just to enjoy his disgusted grunt. It was the little things that made her happy. 

“Eren?”

With a start, he woke up from his micro sleep, realizing that he was sitting at the bar with Armin next to him. Fuck, he was tired. The shift drained him more than he expected, and all he wanted now was just to go home and fall asleep in his bed. Nah, he wouldn’t ruin the party like this. Right, Armin asked him something.

“Yes?”

Nailed it.

“I wanted to talk to you.”, his blond friend said, the smile on his face suggesting that he very much knew about Eren’s battle against his tiredness.

“What about?”

“I’m going to Annie’s house tomorrow, to speak to her.”

“Oh.”, well that was sudden, “Want me to come with you?”

But Armin was already shaking his head.

“Nah, I have to do this on my own. There’s something else though. I wanted to ask…”, he fell silent for a time, probably looking for the right words, “When you and Mikasa broke up, how did you come back together?”

“Oh man, I don’t know what to tell you.”, Eren scratched the back of his head, “There’s really nothing to say.”

“Is it that personal?”

“No, not personal, but there just isn’t any secret. We just…. reunited, that’s it. The moment I saw her again, I knew I don’t want to live without her. It was just too painful.”

“Just like that huh.”

“Yea.”, Eren shrugged, “Just like that.”

“All right well, I think I’ll let you sleep in peace now. Thanks for the advice.”, with that, Armin stood up, leaving Eren with only his heavy lids as companions.

Alone again, Eren decided that he can’t win this duel, and made his way over to where Mikasa was sitting, taking a break from the socializing. She smiled when she saw him approach, his little sun. Fuck, he loved her so much. 

“I’m tired.”, he blurted out, falling on his ass next to her.

With a grin, Mikasa patted her lap, and he took the invitation immediately, laying his head down on her thighs. This was just perfect, there was no other way to describe it. Her fingers started combing through his hair, playing with the strands, and Eren was slowly but surely falling asleep, completely obvious to the music or the party around them.

“Miki?”, he murmured, already half gone.

“Hmmm?”

“Why do we…fit?”

“What do you mean?”, there was a slight confusion in her question. 

“Armin asked me how we got back together after our… break. And I told him that I have no idea, that it just happened.”

“Well, you are right,”, she giggled, “it did just happen.”

“But that’s just the thing. The time without you was just so painful, both physically and mentally, that when there was only the slightest chance that I can have you back, I jumped right on it.”, he yawned, “Isn’t it weird?”

For a while, she just stroked his hair, and Eren thought that he’s going to fall asleep before she spoke again. 

“I like it.”, she finally said, tugging the strands away from his face, “It’s like a deeper, more intimate love. Maybe we really are soulmates.”, she blushed a bit, praying that he was too tired to notice, “The…things we do together, I can’t even imagine doing them with someone else. I wouldn’t want to.”

Cheesy. But he liked it. He liked her. Closing his eyes, he let himself drift off, hoping that Mikasa will wake him for the midnight drink. That was way too important to miss.

 

A hand on her shoulder woke Ymir up, blinking into the lights. Where was she again? Oh right, the bar. Drinks and exhaustion really didn’t mix well together. Looking left and right, she could see that it was no one else but Krista who woke her, and she allowed herself to smile. 

“Hey baby, having fun?”

“I’d be having more fun if my girlfriend wasn’t sleeping.”, she sighed, “But other than that, its great. Eren fell asleep on Mikasa’s legs, so now when I talk to her she keeps stroking his hair, like a Bond villain strokes his cat. It’s funny.”

“Oh really.”, Ymir fought back a yawn, “Sounds great.”

Krista slid on the bench next to her, leaning so close that their foreheads were almost touching. At first Ymir thought that she’s going to kiss her, but then she realized that she was whispering to her. 

“I wanna talk.”

“Okay..”, tiredness can wait, Krista wants to talk. Work, brain. “Shoot.”

“Do you remember Christmas?”, seeing Ymir nod, she continued, “And the night after?”

Confused, Ymir nodded again. Krista was blushing furiously, but pressed on, really wanting to get this off her chest. She took a deep breath.

“Ijustwannasaythatilikeditandwouldliketodoitagain.”

“Ehm… Slower please?”

“I liked it, when you were…rough. I’d like to do it again. If its okay with you. Of course.”, she wasn’t looking at her, probably too embarrassed, and her eyes remained focused on the table, “I want to try things, things I never done with anyone. Because I trust you. So, what do you say?”

“What do I say?”, Ymir grinned, wrapping an arm around her shy lover’s shoulders, “I say that if I wasn’t so god damn tired, I’d take you home right now and show you just how rough I can be.”

“Its okay.”, Krista did look up, reaching out and running her fingers over Ymir’s cheek, “We have all the new year to experiment.”

The kiss was soft, almost in contradiction to her previous statement, but Ymir wouldn’t complain, that was for sure. She loved it either way.

 

Despite his best efforts, Levi was having a pretty good time. That was, until he ran into a very familiar red-haired girl.

“Hey Levi, long time no see.”

Petra. What the hell was she doing here? Levi could feel all his motor functions freezing, with his brain having no idea what to do. How did she know? Did she come because of him? Was it a coincidence? No fucking way. He had to get out of this conversation, solve this problem. Now.

“Hi, Petra. Having a good time? That’s great, but I gotta run, talk to you later.”

With that, he turned on his heel, all but running away from her. Hange. It had to be her doing. Angry, really fucking pissed, he found her, gripped her arm and dragged her away from the surprised Carla, finding a corner with no one else in it. 

“What the fuck did you do?”, he spat out, pressing her against the wall. For all his aggression, Hange was still completely calm, watching him over the rim of her glasses.

“What did I do?”

“Petra!”, he had to fight the urge to shake her, to do anything to get any reaction out of her. “You invited her here, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“Why!? You had no fucking right.”

“Excuse me?”, she twisted her arm free of his hand, still completely unmoved, “I have no right to invite a nice young lady I met to a party?”

“That’s not what I mean.”, Levi took a step back, rubbing his forehead. His anger was dying down, replaced by confusion. 

“Levi.”, Hange put a hand on his shoulder, “I’ve been watching you stare into that phone of yours for hours in the last weeks. So yes, I took some steps to help you.”

“Help me?”, he laughed, “How does this help me?”

“Well, if you manned up for a change, you could go and talk to the girl. Or you can just keep your head in the sand. I gave you the option, if you take it is entirely up to you.”

Hange squeezed past him, returning to Carla, and Levi was alone. Screw it, he needed to calm his nerves. Slipping out of the door, he lit up a cigarette, exhaling the smoke against the dark sky. This party just took a turn for the worse, that was for sure. The door creaked, and a figure came to stand next to him, watching the stars. Levi didn’t even need to look to know who it was.

“I’m sorry.”, Petra said, breaking the silence.

“For what?”

“I shouldn’t have come. You obviously don’t want me here.”, she hugged herself, maybe against the cold, “I’ll leave.”

“No, don’t.”, fuck that sounded rushed. “I mean, don’t leave if you don’t want, you’ve done nothing wrong. I’m just acting like an asshole.”

He could hear her chuckle next to him. 

“No change from college then.”

“Yea.”, he took a drag from the cigarette, “Still the same.”

Silence. Stretching. 

“You… uhm… Why did you act like you didn’t know me? Back at the photoshoot.”

“I guess for the same reason you did.”, Petra shrugged, “I didn’t even know if you remembered me, it was some years. So, I waited, but you didn’t say anything, so I just rolled along with it.”

Great, so they were both acting stupid. 

“Levi,”, she began, “why did you leave like that, back in college. One day you just stopped showing up for classes, cut all contact, moved away from the dorm. You even changed your phone number. Why?”

“I guess I wanted to leave that life behind. I had to start working, full-time, there were…. circumstances I couldn’t predict. It forced me to change the way I lived.”

“Always so secretive,”, there was a ghost of smile on Petra’s lips, “will you tell me about those circumstances?”

“Sure, but not today. How about we meet tomorrow?”

She wouldn’t look at him, and he wouldn’t look at her, but together, watching the sky, they felt an understanding between them, one they both wanted so much.

“Sounds great.”

 

There were fireworks outside, and those who wanted to see went out of the bar, the lights illuminating their faces. Midnight was just passing, according to Eren’s phone, and he made sure that he shared this year’s first kiss with the only woman he loved, ignoring Armin’s pained groaning. Mikasa’s lips molded into his perfectly, and it did remind him of the first times they kissed. Frankly, they both sucked at it, since it was their first time, but together, they got better. With her, everything was better, really. Ymir followed his example, as did some other couples, but not Sasha. She looked at the lights, a new goal forming in her mind. She would find Gabi, she would make her talk. Whatever the cost, she’s going to get to the bottom of this. That was her New Year’s resolution. Wherever you are hiding, Gabi, she swore, I’ll get to understand you.


	59. With a blast

Wandering aimlessly around your own gym, what a great way to spend time. Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, scowling at the clock on the wall. He still had plenty of time before his dreaded meeting with Petra, but he had no idea how to spend it. It surely didn’t help that he couldn’t even sleep at night, endlessly rolling around in his bed while the night ticked away by seconds. Why was he even so stressed in the first place? Their talk went, well, okay, he guessed, and Petra didn’t seem to hate him, which was also much better than he expected. But the uneasiness from his stomach didn’t disappear, and the fact that he was supposed to meet her, in just a few hours, didn’t make him any more relaxed. Lately, all he did was walking on fucking needles, now that he thought about it. Living the life. 

Before he realized it, Levi’s unplanned route took him to the punching bag, which was currently mercilessly abused by no one else but his sister. Stopping in his tracks, he leaned on the wall, watching her go through her forms, fluidly flowing from one to another. Levi would never be caught saying it, but he liked the way she moved, fast enough to make herself look like a blur. He truly didn’t envy the opponents she was facing in the ring. With a last punch that sent the bag reeling, she pulled back, apparently finished with the set, and grabbing a towel she started drying the sweat from her face. Maybe he could ask her for her opinion, she was a woman, right? That meant that whatever her perception was, it was surely closer to Petra’s than his own. To alert Mikasa to his presence, Levi cleared his throat, watching her turn around to face him, her grey eyes confused.

“Hey,”, she began, “what’s up?”

“Nothing.”, he shrugged, shifting against the wall to look more casual, “Just wanted to ask if you’re all right, that’s it.”

“Well, I’m fine,”, Mikasa gestured to the bag, “just training.”

“Right.”

“Yup.”

Levi cleared his throat again, a bit at loss of words. 

“Sooo, how’s Eren?”, he asked to buy some time, trying to figure out how to broach the whole Petra subject without her catching wind of how desperate he felt. 

“You want to know how Eren’s doing?”

“What’s so surprising about that.”

“Nothing.”, a sly grin appeared on her face, “Just that you’ve never shown much interest in who I dated before, that’s all.”

“To be fair, you’ve never dated anyone before this guy, ever. So why don’t you just tell me?”

Even with the burn, which was pretty damn good in Levi’s opinion, the grin didn’t disappear from her lips. 

“Since you are so eager, I’ll have you know that everything is amazing between us. Although…”, her expression became a bit uncertain, and she shuffled on the spot, “he’s just always tired lately.”

“You drain him so much?”

“Tsk, of course not,”, Mikasa frowned at her brother, “I don’t even get the chance to. It’s work, he’s always there lately, and just comes home to collapse, that’s it.”

“Maybe you should take his mind off it then.”

“You think so?”, with a thoughtful expression, she tapped her chin. “Maybe you are right, I should do…. something.”

“Let me just stop you here, I don’t want to hear any details.”

Levi wasn’t stupid, he knew that Mikasa and Eren were in a romantic relationship, which meant that they did certain things together, but still. There were certain scenarios you didn’t want to imagine your little sister in. For her part, Mikasa seemed to be lost in her imagination with a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Fuck, now he gave her ideas, and he still had to ask her for her opinion on the Petra meeting. 

“Hey, brat, there’s something else.”

“Hm?”, she woke from her daydreaming, focusing her attention back at Levi, at least for the time being.

“I… Uhm…”, fuck, this was complicated. Mikasa had completely no idea who Petra even was! He had to be non-specific but tell her enough that she understands his predicament. Here goes nothing.

“There’s someone I’m meeting after work. A friend.”

“Okay….”, she obviously expected him to continue. God damn it.

“I haven’t seen her for…. years really, and I’m kinda hoping that we can reconnect and shit.”

“What’s the problem?”

He wasn’t doing the best job of explaining his situation to her, that was for sure.

“Look, we’ve been close, like really close, back then, and I just picked up and left one day. It’s awkward.”

“Ooh I get it. It’s someone from college right?”

The girl caught up fast, had to give her credit for that. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Levi nodded.

“Hmmm, all right, I think I understand. There was someone special for you, back then, and because you have no idea how to say goodbye, you just disappeared with no explanation. And now, years later, you two met again, and you have no idea how she feels about you.”

“I mean…yes…. that’s actually rather accurate summary.”

Once again thoughtful, Mikasa picked up her water bottle, taking a few short sips while the gears turned inside her head. She tried putting herself into the shoes of this mysterious “someone”, doing her best to understand how she could feel if a good friend of hers just left, out of the blue, no warning given. She would feel sad, that was for sure. Betrayed, maybe, angry, disappointed, bitter. Meeting the one who left her, after a long time passed, would she forgive him? Depends if the reason why he left her in the first place was serious, she guessed. Complicated issue in any case.

“I know that this is going to sound very basic, but I’d suggest that you just go on the date and…”

“It’s not a date.”, Levi interrupted her swiftly, flustered.

“Meeting then, whatever. Go there, see what she says, see how you feel. I don’t think that there is much to say, other than that.”

Thanks for nothing, Levi frowned, aren’t women supposed to understand each other or some shit?

“All right, I’ll do that.”, he said out loud, turning to leave. “And Mikasa? When you do your little distracting, try to go easy on Eren. You don’t want to break him, do you?”

The smile she had right now was outright dangerous.

“I’m not promising anything.”, she teased, going back to the punching bag. Levi watched for a time, seeing her ponytail bounce in synch with her movements, the training leather creaking underneath her fists. Whatever he unleashed, he hoped that Eren would handle it, somehow. 

Poor man.

 

Theoretically speaking, Sasha had a good plan. At the start, she even considered getting a whiteboard and pinning the photos of her suspects at it, the way police does it, but then she realized that she didn’t even have Gabi’s picture, not to mention that Connie would probably question her behavior. She winced a bit. No need for that, their relationship was already slowly sinking. And it was her fault, because this stupid secrecy was eating her, inside out, and Connie only wanted to help, but for some reason, she just couldn’t let him. Call it stubbornness, or a need to prove herself, to prove that even crippled, she can do things on her own, without anyone’s assistance. 

With no board to call her own, she drew a picture in her head instead, trying to logically determine where Gabi could be hiding. She was obviously homeless, so searching for a home would be rather counter-productive, but there were places that those people flocked to. The biggest hub, from her research, was a soup kitchen few blocks away, which drew in rather large crowd, especially in winter. Not seeing any point in sitting around, she wheeled herself past Connie, who didn’t even ask her where she was going. He knew that she wouldn’t tell him anyway. Still, his apathy left a dull feeling in her chest.

Once she got to the place she needed to scout, she was almost immediately overwhelmed by the sheer number of faces. So many, and she was supposed to find one young girl? Here? There was no way Sasha could do that on her own. Carefully navigating through the people, she searched for someone, anyone, who looked like he belonged, and could point her the right way. Reaching the counter, she noticed several volunteers wearing matching aprons, handing out food. As she neared it, she was noticed by a man of short stature and blond hair, whose kind face reminded her little bit of Armin. 

“Newcomer?”, he asked, but before Sasha could answer he was already handing her a generous portion of the soup, which she declined with a raised hand.

“No, thank you, but I’m not homeless.”

“That’s all right.”, he shrugged, “You can still eat.”

“I didn’t come here because of that.”

Seemingly not giving her refusal much thought, the volunteer gave the bowl to the next person in line, working on another one right after.

“I need to ask you something.”, she pressed on, getting his attention back.

Hands not stopping in their movements, he gave her a nod.

“Shoot.”

From the way he moved around food, with practiced easiness, hinted that he most likely worked in a restaurant, when he wasn’t volunteering here. Chef? Or a waiter?

“I’m looking for a girl.”, she started, only to be interrupted by his short laugh.

“Who isn’t.”, with a wink, he handed another soup out, stirring the pot.

Sasha had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. Normally, she loved jokes, but right now she really wasn’t in the mood. 

“A young girl, about twelve or thirteen years? She wears ripped clothing, has a haunted expression on her face. Her name was Gabi.”

“People don’t really introduce themselves when they come in here.”, the cook pointed out, “And you’ve just described about ten percent of the people that come here.”

He was right, she had to try harder. 

“Black medium-length hair, small stature, dark wide eyes. Uhm…”, in her mind Sasha made a mental picture of Gabi, trying to remember all the little details, “There was a boy with her, also short and young. He had light shaggy hair, and bright eyes for a change.”

That seemed to remind him of something. Slowly, he put the ladle down, watching Sasha over the counter. 

“Tell me, lady, what should I call you?”

“And here I thought people don’t introduce themselves when they come here.”, she met his eyes, unwavering, “Why do you want to know my name?”

“Fair point well made.”, he agreed, smiling, “To keep it even then, I’ll you my name first.”, reaching out, he offered her his hand. “I’m Niccolo.”

She took it, feeling his warm palm in hers.

“Sasha. And now that we have this touching introduction out of the way, can you tell me if you’ve seen the girl?”

“Haven’t seen her.”, he answered, letting go of her and grabbing the ladle again, the smile not leaving his face. “But I know some people we could talk to after I finish my shift?”

He let the suggestion hang in the air. Well, he was her best and only lead, wasn’t he? And if he wasn’t willing to talk now, what else could Sasha do? She sighed.

“What time do you get off?”

 

In his life, Armin couldn’t remember a more menacing looking building than Annie’s house. Watching it from across the street, his heartbeat quickened just from seeing the sunlight reflect from the windows. But it was cold, and he was tired of waiting, so with a last deep breath, Armin crossed the distance, knocking on the door with a fist he willed not to shake. There was some stirring inside the house, so he took a step back, waiting. It took a suspiciously long time, but in the end the door creaked open to reveal an old man’s face. It was obviously her father, and because they’ve seen each other just once before, Armin was rather sure that he would not be remembered. 

“Hello, my name is…”

“Armin, right?”

Oh, so he remembered?

“Yes sir, Armin. I was just wondering, is Annie here? I’d like to talk to her.”

“She didn’t tell you?”, the old man looked genuinely surprised, maybe even a bit embarrassed, “I’m sorry, but Annie’s gone.”

“Gone?”

“She flew back to Europe, as soon as the doctors took the cast from her hand. I really thought that she let you know, son.”

“Oh I….”, what exactly was he supposed to say? How should he react? “When is she coming back?”

“I have no idea. She said that she’ll come back when she’ll feel like it.”

“O-Okay, I guess.”, Hitch said that this might happen, but still, knowing it for sure. It stung. He took a step back. “I should go.”

“Armin, wait!”

Ignoring the call, Armin turned on his heel, walking away at a brisk pace, leaving Annie’s father standing in the doorway. 

 

It was fair to say that Eren and Ymir carried the hospital during the holiday rush. After spending most of the New Year’s Eve party sleeping on Mikasa’s legs, Eren went to work right the next day, joining Ymir in their quest to treat the unending waves of patients. And together, they somehow handled it. The price was their sleep, their sanity, and basically all the time they had, but luckily, it didn’t go unnoticed. As a reward for their hard work, Erwin gave them both a day off, so now, driving home, Eren could look forward to a long sleep and a day filled with relaxation after. Honestly, he couldn’t wait. Pulling into the driveway, he parked next to Mikasa’s motorbike, locking his car before the short walk through the cold and into their house. It was dark inside, dark enough for him to question if she was perhaps still at the gym, which would be weird considering that it was rather late. But then, he noticed the faint glow of a candlelight form the table, and when his eyes adapted to the decreased brightness, Eren saw something waiting for him, something that made his jaw drop.

“Welcome home, master.”


	60. Cat Maid Appreciation Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I know that I said that the new manga chapters usually make me write smut, but here I decided to move ahead of the curve. After all, it’s not like the suffering will stop anytime soon.  
> Plus it fits to the plot sooo....yea....
> 
> Enjoy!

Now there were some perfectly normal explanations for the situation Eren just found himself in. First, he could be sleeping, so he pinched his arm to make sure. It stung, and no waking up followed, so that opinion was swiftly off the table. Second, he could be in the wrong house, but a quick check of his surroundings confirmed that he was either really home, or that someone had the exact same taste in furniture as he and Mikasa had. Discarding those two, the last thing he could think of was that the person waiting for him wasn’t his fiancé, but someone else entirely. Yet the figure looked exactly the same, with the Asian features, scar on her cheek, even the tattoo on the wrist was in place. Well, it seemed like that Eren was forced to accept the reality after all. This was his house, he wasn’t dreaming, and the person watching him with a slightly amused expression was no one else but Mikasa.

This realization however begged the question of what the hell was happening, because Eren didn’t remember recently saving the lives of fifty children or a litter of puppies to deserve what he saw. For reasons unknown, Mikasa seemed to go all out tonight, dressing in a way that made his pulse race. Maid dress hugged her curves, the classic black and white, with a very modest cleavage exposing next to no skin. Her long legs were covered by white stockings and following the line Eren could see that she picked black high heels to complete her set. Upon closer inspection he noticed a few more details, previously overlooked. Mikasa’s hair has grown, and she had it tied into two braids, one falling left and one right. Between them, sitting snuggly, were nothing else but those cat ears he loved so much. Sucking in a breath, Eren’s scanned lower, looking for other little things he missed, loving the outfit already. Her neck was decorated by the collar, thick black leather with a silver circle in front, standing out against the white skin. Together, the cat-maid she created was the perfect combination of hot and cute, and Eren was silently thanking his lucky stars for being blessed with someone like this. 

“You okay, master?”, she asked, cocking her head to the side. It was an understandable concern, considering that he just spent the last ten minutes by simply staring at her. 

“I’m great.”, he croaked, clearing his throat afterwards. “Miki, rest assured that I appreciate this, I really fucking do, and I love what you’ve done, but please, can you tell me why? All this…”, he gestured towards her, and the table behind her, all lit up with candles, “it just seems like so much.”

“You’ve been always there for me.”, she said, directing her gaze to the floor and blushing slightly, “When I’m tired or sick, or anything, you always take such a good care of me. I can’t even count the number of times my muscles ached, or I had cramps, and you just dropped everything to give me a massage to make me feel better. So now that you’ve been so tired lately, I thought that I might return the favor.”

“Well, if that’s how you feel,”, it was hard to keep the excitement from his voice, but Eren managed. Somehow. “I’m totally on board.”

“Great.”, Mikasa looked back up, smiling slightly. She took a step back, towards the table. “Shall we?”, she asked, and not waiting for an answer turned on her heel and walked to the light. Following, Eren noticed one more thing he failed to see before. There was the tail peeking from underneath her skirt, swaying with the movements of her hips. 

Sitting down, he looked at the table, frowning slightly. There was plenty of food, but only one plate, as if he was expected to eat alone. 

“You won’t join me?”, he asked Mikasa, who was busying herself by opening a bottle of wine in the kitchen.

“It wouldn’t be appropriate for a maid to dine with her master.”, she said, coming closer and leaning over him to fill his glass. The instinct to catch her and pull her on his lap was strong, but he forced his hands down. It was not the time for that. Yet. If she wanted to serve him like this, it was common courtesy to let her. To get his mind off her, as if that was even possible, he focused on the food, stacking his plate. True to her word, Mikasa didn’t join him, but stood at attention at the side, seemingly ready to attend his needs. The food was good, great even, however Eren did miss the playful banter they usually shared while eating, although he couldn’t deny that it was relaxing, just sitting back and letting someone else take care of everything. Finished, Eren stood up, stretching his hands over his head, feeling pleasantly tired by work, but with Mikasa like this, sleeping was rather far down on his to-do list. 

“Does master wish to retire?”, she asked, ever so vigilant.

“That depends,”, Eren turned towards her, closing the distance in two steps. Reaching out, he swiped a thumb over her cheek. “Do you want to go to bed,”, leaning forward, he let his lips brush the shell of her ear, “or do you want to play?”

Oh, she hoped very much that he’s going to say exactly those words. He didn’t miss the way she shivered, or the singular word that left her lips.

“Play.”

Shit Miki, that’s all you had to say. Giving in to his needs, momentarily, Eren pressed his lips against hers, running his hands up her stocking covered thighs to cup her ass, squeezing her firm flesh. That move made her gasp, allowing him to slip his tongue inside her mouth, deepening the kiss. 

“I’m going to make some changes to your costume, is that okay?”, he whispered when the control over his actions returned to him, the first taste satisfying the most pressing need.

“I’m yours tonight master.”, Mikasa’s whisper was heated, letting Eren know that he wasn’t the only one with head in the clouds, “Do whatever you want with me.”

Intent on making full use of that statement, Eren’s mind raced wild with possibilities. With an evil grin, he slipped out of her arms and upstairs, searching for a few objects he needed to complete the perverted picture his mind already painted for him. Mikasa hasn’t moved the whole time while he was gone, waiting obediently exactly as he left her. Dumping the stuff on the couch for now, Eren approached his maid, running his fingers over the fabric of the dress. 

“This needs to go.”

She nodded, turning around to let him access the zipper at the back. With practiced move, he pulled it down, taking a step back afterwards to admire the way she shook her hips, making it slide down her legs and on the floor. As gentleman, he offered her a hand which she graciously took, stepping out of the crumpled cloth. With that out of the way, Eren could finally see the origins of the cat tail. To test him even further, Mikasa picked the cat underwear to dress in tonight, the paw shaped cleavage on her chest and the tailed panties, one of his favorites. To see her in, not wear himself, of course. 

“Still too much?”, she teased, giving him a full turn to appreciate her efforts from all angles. It was his turn to nod, so she unclipped her bra, slowly, throwing it away, and when Eren still didn’t seem satisfied Mikasa pulled down her panties too, baring herself to him. She lost her tail, but Eren seemed happy nonetheless, signaling that he had something in stock for her. Considering that she hit him with the whole cat maid thing just about half an hour back, the fact that he managed to cook something up already showed just how good Eren was at thinking on his feet. After a moment of appreciating her naked body, because he always needed to do that, he set off towards the couch, with Mikasa quickly following, heels clicking against the floor. 

“Now then.”, watching Eren rummage through the things he brought ignited a fire in the pit of her stomach, and Mikasa’s hands curled into fists at her sides to prevent her fingers from touching herself. “You have the ears and the collar, but the loss of your tail cannot be tolerated.”, he straightened, holding a very familiar thing, “Luckily I came prepared.”

All it took him was a quick tap at the cushion for her to bend over for him, leaning on it while he lubed up his fingers in preparation. Mikasa had to bite her bottom lip to stifle her moan when he pressed one inside, the familiar stretch being so welcome. Three years back, if someone told her that she will love having her ass played with, she would most likely punch the person in the face, yet here she was. Face down, bottom up, wanton sounds spilling from her throat as he stretched her in preparation for the tail plug. It slid in rather easy, filling her, the sensation very pleasant. But when she tried straightening, thinking that this part was done, Eren kept her down with a hand at the back of her neck. 

“I don’t want to neglect any part of you kitty.”, he murmured into her hair, kissing the spot behind her ear, “So give me a moment.”

Curious, she stayed down, impatient to see what will come next. Something pressed against her mouth, cold and metallic, with an “Open.” command from Eren. Mikasa obeyed, letting him push it in, tracing the toy with her tongue after. Two weighted balls, connected by a string, judging from her exploration. 

“You may be wondering why I put those in your mouth.”, Eren said from behind her, hands massaging her butt, “I want you to warm them up before I insert them where they truly belong.”

With her ass already occupied, it was easy to understand what he meant. 

“Oh man, its so hard to measure time, right kitty?”

Normally, Mikasa would point out that there was perfectly functioning clock on the wall, but her mouth was rather busy at the moment. Not to worry, Eren already had a plan. 

“I think that if you hold it for ten slaps, it’s going to be ready.”, he decided, bringing his palm down on her ass. Hard. The impact stung, but the effect it had on the plug was what really sold the idea, making Mikasa moan helplessly around the metal. He grinned. 

“One.”

Bastard took his time, so when he finally finished, at the tenth, Mikasa’s rear was all nice and red, with her panting into the couch. After retrieving the balls from her mouth, now pleasantly warmed up, Eren carefully pressed them against her aching entrance, pushing in one, and then the second, very amused when she made those needy sounds again. Only now, with both of her holes full, stretched by toys, he allowed her to straighten. Needles to say that any movement was sending waves of pleasure from her core. 

“Now what about these puppies.”, master’s hands were on her chest now, squeezing the pliant flesh, playing with the hardened nipples. Mikasa knew that it was only a rhetorical question, so she arched her back instead of answering, pressing her body closer to his touch, only for it to disappear as Eren returned to his bundle of wonders. The toy of his choice proved to be…. earrings?

On closer inspection, Mikasa concluded that those were no jewelry. Different from the clamps they used in the past, those were separate, one for each nipple, not ending with a chain but rather with a weight at the end, small shiny piece of metal. When Eren attached it, it pulled, the bite a bit harder than their usual jaws, nothing that she couldn’t handle though. Following the left with right, she was soon decorated like a Christmas tree, breathing heavily. All those toys and attention Eren brought her came together to a single fact. Mikasa was soaking wet right now. 

“All done.”, Eren had a faint smile on his face, “Now I think it’s time to relax.”

With confused expression, Mikasa watched him sit down on the couch, picking up the remote and turning the Tv on. 

“Come stand next to me kitty, I might need you.”

She followed, in slow shuffling steps, trying her best not to rattle the toys too much. 

“Eyes down, back straight, “, he ordered, “hands behind your back.”

Seeing her obey, he reached out and caressed her beaten ass, lightly, before picking up the controller and turning his console on. Eyes narrowing, Mikasa finally understood. He was planning on ignoring her, letting her drip next to him, while he would play those games of his. Well, if that’s what he wanted, there’s nothing she would do, this was Eren’s evening. Just as she was coming to terms with it, the plug turned on inside her, vibrating against the muscles, making her bite back a curse. Bastard.

On his end, Eren was immensely pleased with himself. Taking the ideas he came up with and turning them against him was usually Mikasa’s playing field, but now he’s done exactly the same to her, arguably even smarter. Making him go down to his hands and knees in front of her and resting her feet on his back was a fun game, although he had to admit that being the top in this kind of play was rather amusing too. His focus on the screen was pretended, as Eren kept throwing sidelong glances at his maid, watching her squirm and writhe on the spot, the plug making her go crazy. Now now, he couldn’t allow such movements, the memory of her cane on his ass was far too fresh for that. Reaching out, he grabbed the crop, swatting it against her butt.

“I told you to keep your back straight kitty.”, another hit, “So check you posture, will you?”

Gritting her teeth, most likely holding a string of curses in, Mikasa obeyed, straightening her back to the best of her ability. Satisfied, Eren put the crop back on the couch, once again focusing on the game. From time to time he was forced to pick it up, when she sagged, overcome, to remind her to keep her back straight, hitting her not very strongly, but smart. A small sting right above her wet mound, or directing it against the nipples, next to the clamp, that got the job done. Yet there are feats that are simply impossible and playing well while your naked fiancé is sweating just a few feet away from you was one of those. He got beat, rather soundly, and the sounds of his defeat seemed to coax a reaction out of her. She smirked. A tiny thing he would surely miss if he wasn’t paying such a close attention to her face, but those movements of her body, the way she bit her bottom lip, or how her eyes fluttered shut, fighting against the pleasure, that was way more interesting than the game. And now she had the gall to laugh at him. Oh, you little…

“Something funny?”, he asked, meeting her amused eyes with an inquisitive look of his own.

Mikasa shook her head.

“No master.”

“No? I could swear that I heard you laughing kitty.”

“Must have been the wind.”

Her features didn’t even twitch, as she was lying right into his face. He surely couldn’t leave it like that. 

“Come here kitty.”

She shuffled her way between his legs, looking down at him.

“Yes master?”

“I think you are lying kitty.”

Mikasa just shrugged, not even bothering to deny it. 

“Kneel.”

When she did, he turned the plug inside her off. No distractions.

“Now listen,”, Eren leaned forward, fisting her hair, “I want you to get me off with your mouth now. And I’d advise you to do your best, because your performance will directly affect how hard I punish you after for lying.”

Challenge accepted, Mikasa reached out to undo his zipper, finding him exactly as hard as she expected him to be. Not much of a surprise, really, considering what she wore for the night. So, he wanted her to bring her a-game, huh? Time to blow his mind then. Angling him to the side, she trailed a string of kisses from the base to the tip, pressing one right at the head before swirling her tongue around. Seemingly obvious to her care, Eren turned the game back on, watching the screen. She wasn’t angry at that, she did the exact same thing to him, but the implication that he can still play while she’s blowing him was a direct insult to her ego, one that she wouldn’t stand for. Doubling her efforts, she sucked around him, not missing the way the Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. 

Admittedly, Eren fought valiantly, but Mikasa had years of training in this, and he had no chance of ever coming on top. Even with the flicking vision, he kept the game up while she worked, hollowing her cheeks around his length. But then Mikasa deepthroated him, and his eyes rolled up, the controller falling from Eren’s numb fingers and clattering on the floor with neither of them paying attention. Her head continued bobbing up and down at a steady rhythm, working all around him with her tongue, while Eren gave up, melting into the couch and closing his eyes, fully intent on enjoying her show, one hand going to the thick of her hair, fingers moving over the cat ears. The way her throat pulsed around him, how the tip of her tongue circled the head, how her hand worked the rest of his length while the other fondled his balls lightly, all that were the results of everything they did together, and it was downright heavenly. 

“Kitty, I’m…”, Eren pulled on her braid gently, signaling how close he was, more of a courtesy than an actual warning. He knew that she wouldn’t pull back. After all, they worked on that together too, ever since college. 

 

“You don’t have to do this.”, he said, watching her rise from her knees and spit to the sink, wiping the corner of her mouth with her sleeve.

“It’s fine,”, she shook her head, “I’ll get used to it.” She smiled at him encouragingly. “You never complain when you go down on me.”

“I like how you taste.”

She blushed a bit on upon hearing that. 

“I just want you to know that you don’t have to force yourself, you know, if you dislike it.”, Eren caressed her cheek, “Won’t make me stop loving you.”

“You could eat more fresh fruit,”, Mikasa suggested, “I heard that pineapple helps.”

“So now I must change my diet because of you?”, he grinned, “Never knew that being in a relationship could be so taxing.”

“You don’t have to do anything.”, she pointed out, squeezing past him and out of the bathroom “But if you want me to do this more often, you know what to do.” 

Ever since that day, Eren became one of the biggest fruit consumers on the campus. For his health, of course, what other reason could there be?

 

Pineapple and such were still very prominent in Eren’s diet, so it was no surprise when Mikasa swallowed around him again, forcing the orgasm to wreck through his body, letting him come inside her mouth with a deep growl. Not that she would admit it, but she grew rather fond of the taste over the years. The gentle massage of his jewels combined with the stimulation of her mouth didn’t stop, releasing him only after she was sure that he had nothing more to give. 

“How did I do?”

Still twitching slightly, Eren snorted, slowly getting his breathing back under control. For this performance, he would very well forgive Mikasa if she burned down the whole house, but the master couldn’t appear so soft.

“Acceptable.”, he breathed out, however judging from the expression on her face he wasn’t fooling anybody. “Let’s get up to the bedroom, so I can punish you.”

Refraining from commenting, she stood up, pressing her lips together to stop another sound coaxed by that plug. But after making two steps towards the bedroom, Eren turned it on again, making her trip and almost fall, mostly thanks to those stupid high heels. 

“Something wrong?”, he asked so sweetly that the words were almost dripping with honey. Straightening, Mikasa resumed her walk, with Eren just a step behind, both to catch her if she stumbled again and to admire her from behind as closely as possible. Reaching the bedroom, she stood in the middle, refusing to face him while biting the inside of her cheek, not willing to give him the satisfaction of hearing her. He came close, pressing his chest against her back, hands roaming over her front with interest. 

“You’re so wet.”, he commented, tracing her dripping slit with a fingertip, but ignoring the way she tried rocking against him, denying her more contact. Instead, he moved his hands upwards, cupping both of her breasts while pressing his lips to the patch of skin on her neck not covered by the leather collar. Mikasa was slowly growing desperate, aroused beyond imagination, but all he did was drop his palms back down, fingering the edge of her white stockings, the only clothing on her body apart from the shoes. Oh, and the ears, can’t forget those. 

“Maybe you should do something about it then.”, she gritted through clenched teeth, rubbing her butt on his front. 

“See, I would do that,”, he pulled back, frustrating her even more, “but I have to punish you first, don’t I. Rules are rules. Now, get on the bed.”

She fell down, pressing her face into the mattress. This teasing was slowly becoming unbearable, and Eren seemed far from done. Retrieving something, he approached her fallen form, and she could feel his hand creeping up her ankle, closing over it. The hug of his fingers was soon replaced by a binding, and right after Eren moved over, tying her other leg the same way. 

“Hands.”, he ordered, pulling them down between her legs and tying her wrists to the same length of metal as her legs. Finally looking down, she could see that both of her legs and arms were now secured to a singular spreader bar, limiting her movements. “Now then,”, a hand caressed her cheeks, “Let’s begin.”

The flogger came unexpected, falling on her rear in steady rhythm, the sting making her hiss a few times. But it was not enough, not for how turned on she felt right now, and Eren must have noticed it too, because the instrument soon disappeared, and a new player entered the field. The cane made a solid sound when it connected with her ass, the pain much more noticeable. 

“You like that?”, Eren growled, hitting her again. Mikasa squirmed, the cuffs rattling against the spreader bar, crying out as he went on, planting another hard hit on her. “I”, hit, “asked”, hit, “you”, hit, “a question”, hit, “kitty.” Another one, just for good measure. 

“Yes!”, she sobbed out, her skin on fire, both from the pain but mostly from the pleasure, as every hit shifted the toys, both radiating friction to tease her, although not enough to push her over the edge. “Eren please.”, she pleaded, hoping that he will finally get to it, but he didn’t seem done. Not just yet.

“Who do you belong to?”

“You!”

“My name. Say my name.”

Honest to god, Mikasa couldn’t be more turned on right now. She was burning, inside out, consumed by the flames that spread from her core all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes. She had no idea what she was saying anymore, screaming whatever filth came into her mind, only wanting to finally fucking come.

“Eren! Eren! Please! I’m your servant, your slave, your whore, anything!”, she pulled hard on the restraints, cuffs creaking, “Please, anything!”

“Okay, easy baby, easy.”, his mouth was at her ear again, whispering, while fingers appeared at her entrance, tugging the balls free. Mikasa almost lost it when the first one came out, and then the second, the sudden emptiness making her sob while her inner muscles clenched around nothing. 

“Please…”

Eren had no reason to tease her anymore. He kneeled behind her, ready and waiting for him, all spread open and pink, glistening with her arousal. Setting his tip against her, he pushed in, one decisive movement, burying himself to the hilt inside her stretched opening. Her walls squeezed him, so eagerly, muscles fluttering around his length, it almost made him lose it. Grabbing her hips for leverage, Eren started fucking into her, slow and steady at first, circling his hips a bit to let her feel all of him, everywhere. 

“More…”, Mikasa’s demands were loud, unashamed, as her mind was so clouded with desire that the very concept of anything beyond sex escaped her right now, “Harder… I need… more!”

If she wanted him to fuck her harder, he would be the last person on the earth to say no. Putting one foot on the bed, Eren sped up, thrusting deeper and with more force, until he was slamming inside with groans marking each move. The slaps of skin on skin were loud, but Mikasa was louder, moaning shamelessly every time he hit all those deep spots inside, rubbing against her in just the right way. It was more than enough. The way Eren moved inside her, combining with the vibrating plug and the bite originating from her nipples, the sensation was perfect. Finally, fucking finally the fire concentrated, making Mikasa’s muscles tighten, more and more, until she snapped, being pushed over by a deep hit of his tip. She came, screaming, trashing in her cuffs, her inner walls working around him in a way nothing else could even come close to. Eren only managed to hold on because she made him come before, doing such an impeccable job with her mouth, but it was still very close. He claimed his finish after she calmed, her orgasm done, a two more thrusts were all it took for him to spill inside her scorching hot tightness. 

“Fuck Miki, you make me go insane.”, he whispered against the sweaty skin of her back where he collapsed, feeling the laughter in the gentle shake of her body rather than hearing it. 

After a few more minutes of collecting his strength, he pulled out, reaching down to brush a few strands of hair from her face. 

“Want out?”, he asked, but to his surprise Mikasa shook her head. 

“Again.”, was all she said, smiling stupidly. 

“Really?”

A nod.

“Look at you,”, Eren shook his head in disbelief, “I’d never guess that you would be such a freak.”

She snorted.

“Less teasing, more fucking.”

Grabbing the spreader bar, Eren turned her around, making her flop on her back bonelessly, blinking up at him. It was lucky that she made those braids, because otherwise Eren was sure that her hair would be all over her face right now. 

“You sure about this?”, he said, because she seemed rather exhausted, the way she lay on her back, legs and hands in the air, connected by the bar, and Eren was more than willing to end the game here. But all she did was raise an eyebrow at him.

“What did I say?”

Following her wish, Eren pushed back in, watching the way Mikasa clenched her teeth, enjoying the moment. 

“How’s your ass?”, he panted out, knowing very well that he didn’t hold back in his punishment. Forming words was hard, especially when he was buried inside her to the hilt, the tightness very pleasurable around his sensitive member. 

“It’s okay.”, she squirmed on the sheets underneath him, “Sore, but okay.”

“What about your nipples?”

“Oh..”, looking down, she realized that the weights were still there, the bite of the clamps barely noticeable over the sting of the cane on her body. “Can you take them off?”

“With pleasure.”

The release was always the best, and Mikasa threw her head back, hair whipping the pillow, face contorting in ecstasy, especially strong when the feeling of freedom was soon accompanied by the warmth of his mouth closing around one of her peaks while his fingers played with the other, switching after a while. In the same time, Eren’s hips began the familiar dance, pushing and pulling, and it didn’t take him long to get her off, much gentler now, her body still weak from the thundering first finish, a long gasp announcing his success. Eren pulled back, satisfied with his performance, watching her chest raise and fall with her breathing. Just as he reached out to the cuffs however, wanting to free her, she spoke again. 

“N-No.. I need… Ass…”

“Wait,” a breathless laugh left his lips. How big was this girl’s sex drive? “seriously?”

“Just do it.”

Pulling the tail plug out, she felt empty for a second, but it didn’t last long as he pressed his member in instead, passing the loosened ring of muscle. She was insatiable, but after what she did for him, Eren would go to hell and back for her, so continuing his movements was the least he could do. Feeling that she might need a little push to finish again, so soon after the last one, he reached down to thumb her swollen clit, a gesture she appreciated with a hum deep in her throat. For a third time that night, her muscles coiled before relaxing, body shaking lightly with her finish, letting out a long-satisfied moan. There, that was just enough, and the feeling of Eren emptying himself inside her again was just the icing on the cake. 

“You good now?”, he managed to ask, when his brain came back from whatever outer space her body send him to.

She was so tired that speaking was beyond her, so she decided for a nod.

“That’s good to hear.”, Eren’s fingers went up, freeing her wrists and then her ankles from the cuffs, throwing the spreader bar away from her, “Because I can’t go again, not now.”

With a hand that felt heavy like iron, she plucked the cat ears from her head, undid her collar, loosening the braids after, while Eren tugged her shoes off before rolling the stockings down her legs, making her completely and fully nude for the first time that evening. To no one’s surprise, she fell asleep on top of him at the tub, so he was left undisturbed to play with her hair and marvel just long it was. Just a bit more, and she would most likely overtake him, what a tragedy. Not that he would ever talk into what haircut she wore, but as of late, he was discovering fondness for her face framed by the shiny cascade of black silk. 

“I love you kitty.”, he whispered, overcome by how at peace she looked, lost in her dreams, and even while unconscious, Eren could swear that the corners of her mouth twitched upwards.

Just a tiny bit.


	61. Reminiscence

There should be more fun ways of waiting for someone than to just sit on your ass and drum a series of tiny holes into your cup. As Levi watched the crowds rolling around him, he couldn’t help but wonder why Petra picked a place like this. It was not his preference to be out in the open, yet when the lady suggested it, he just kind of rolled along with her decision. Not like he had any ties to a coffee shop he had to visit anyway. And there she was, moving through the people like a fish in a water, clearly used to this kind of life. Petra spotted him right away, making a bee line to his chair and sitting down, smiling radiantly after.

“Sorry I’m late, had a call from work I had to solve.”

“It’s all right.”, Levi shrugged, indifferent, “I don’t mind waiting.”

“Okay….”, Petra put her hands on the table, eyes fixing into Levi’s. “So, I’m finally here.”

He snorted. 

“Obviously.”

“Something you want to tell me? Maybe?”, she urged him on.

And Levi knew what she was talking about, of course he did, but he was never big on past and especially talking about himself and didn’t feel like opening up to Petra. Despite the promise he gave her, just a few days ago, the asshole he was. He cleared his throat.

“The weather’s nice.”

Petra blinked in confusion, having no idea how cowardly he felt right now.

“I guess?”, she stammered.

“It’s cold, although not as cold as the weather report said it will be. We should count ourselves lucky.”

“Okay, weather is nice,”, she slowly nodded, “but maybe there’s something else you want to talk about?”

“My gym is doing pretty good lately.”

“That’s… good to hear.”

“Indeed. All the fame Mikasa got from winning the tourney, the sponsors, now the money from the photoshoot.”, he flashed his completely out of the loop companion a victorious smile, “I’m thinking of remodeling, maybe expanding even and…”

Petra’s hand hit the table, interrupting his monologue.

“Okay that’s enough.”, the confusion on her face was replaced by a mild anger and irritation, contorting her features, “I won’t sit here and listen to your stalling for a minute more. I came here to get some answers, Levi, and if you are not willing to give them to me, then I don’t see a point of being here at all. You promised to explain why you went missing, without a word, and after all those years you still try bullshitting me? I deserve better.”

Seems like he couldn’t mislead her forever. Well, Petra always was a sharp one.

“I’m sorry.”, he said, directing his gaze at his hands, “it’s my defense mechanism. I usually try not to talk about myself too much, it’s too… personal I guess.”

A warm touch enveloped his right palm, as Petra reached over the desk, squeezing supportively.

“Please Levi,”, she whispered, “help me understand.”

Ah fuck it.

“My parents got murdered,”, he blurted out, wanting to be done with this little window into his soul as quickly as possible, “and my sister was going into adoption. I couldn’t allow that. Got her on a trial period, as her guardian, but to keep her I had to have bigger financial income. In order to do that, I left college, started working full time, and inherited the gym when the old owner died. That’s it, no more secrets.” 

Puzzled by the lack of answer, Levi looked up, seeing that Petra had a hand over her mouth, blinking rapidly while her eyes seemed strangely wet. 

“Oh my god,”, she breathed out, “I’m so sorry.”

“Been a long time. Got over it.”

“But why did you cut all contact with us?”, Petra’s voice was still shaky, yet he had no trouble of understanding her, “We could have helped you, we were your friends, no?”

“I guess I wanted to start a new chapter in my life.”, Levi grimaced a bit, “I wasn’t really in a good condition back then, mentally, and it just seemed like the only way forward without burdening anybody.”

It was just the way he was. Even with life dumping everything onto him, he was determined to shoulder all the weight himself and silently carry it to the best of his ability, never asking for help. Petra let go of his hand, reluctantly, in an attempt to regain some composure. After dabbing the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, getting rid of the moisture, she took a deep breath. 

“Thank you for telling me all this.”

A shrug.

“You deserve it.”

“Well, since we got that out of the way.”, she offered him a smile, “What do you want to talk about now?”

And they talked, for long time, about their pasts and presents. Levi learned that Petra was an independent contractor, moving all over the state, although lately she’s been doing a lot of work for Kiyomi and her company. In return, Levi told her all about the gym, the tournament Mikasa won, even begrudgingly talking about Eren, and the influence he had on his little sister. For some reason, Petra seemed really interested in hearing more about that brat.

“So that was the guy at the party? The one with the long hair?”

“Yea, that’s him.” 

Yeager and his stupid overlong hair, name a more iconic duo. I’ll wait.

“You know, your sister seemed really happy around him.”

“That’s her. Totally on cloud nine whenever he opens his big mouth.”, Levi frowned, watching Petra’s slight grin over the rim of his glass. “Why do you ask?”

“Just trying to find the reason why you dislike the guy so much.”

“I don’t dislike him.”

“Sure you don’t.”, she teased, “Only anytime you say his name your face sours as if you had to bite into a lemon.”

Levi sighed, a tiny bit embarrassed about the way he felt about his sister’s fiancé who seemed to bring her nothing but happiness. The protective instinct was hard to push down.

“I’m just worried you know. Don’t want to see Mikasa heartbroken.”

“From the way they acted at the party I don’t really see them breaking up any time soon.”, she giggled, “Judging from how often they kissed, they breathe each other instead of oxygen.”

Oh yes, Levi totally needed that mental image. 

“Mikasa is…. complicated, all right?”, he pressed on, determined to make Petra see his point, “She had shit for childhood, and I’m very far from being an ideal role model.” Seeing that she still wasn’t understanding him very well, he went on, without going into too much detail. It wouldn’t be very nice to dump all Mikasa’s secret to someone she didn’t even know, but Petra deserved to know at least the rough outlines.

Honestly, ever since she left for college Levi was silently dreading the phone call telling him that his sister assaulted someone. Again. The memory of the boy whose hand she broke just for touching her was fresh in his mind, and it was easy to guess that older guys will be easily more handsy than the high schoolers were. Not to mention all the parties and alcohol that would flow through the dorms. But instead of anything like that, Mikasa called him after about a week, telling him that she met someone special. Levi would never admit that, but his heart still fluttered at the memory. And yet it didn’t put his worries to rest, not completely. Relationship meant intimacy beyond anything Mikasa experienced so far, and Levi had no idea if she was prepared for that. Uncountable times he held her hand until she fell asleep, only for her to still wake up screaming from a nightmare. He raised her, and still she jolted sometimes, when he touched her shoulder unannounced, the hostile expression flashing in her face until she realized who he was. Sure, she was beautiful, anyone could see that, but also troubled, deep inside, and he had no idea if anyone would ever manage to solve that puzzle that Mikasa was. 

And girl like this was supposed to hold hands with someone, kiss someone, share a bed, maybe even go further than that? Back then, Levi steeled his heart, waiting for the tearful call from her, her first break up, and was ready to assist her in any way necessary. But the call never came. Instead, he watched this guy, this Eren, put a hand around his sister’s waist without her flinching, press a kiss to her cheek, even a full one on the mouth without anything but happy reciprocation from her. He watched as he made her laugh with his stupid jokes, the weird fixation he had with her hair, endlessly playing with the strands, how naturally they talked, bantering each other, and all the other little things that made him wonder what kind of magic he used to break though Mikasa’s shell. Thought even with this miraculous progress, there were other reasons why he initially didn’t like the guy that much. 

 

“Levi, can we talk?”, she dropped this on him during one of their trainings, still in college. “It’s about Eren.”

Her relationship was just a few days old, back then, so upon hearing this Levi immediately started preparing his best supportive monologue for going through rough breakup. Yet before he could get a word out, she continued. 

“I recently found out something and it’s been bothering me.”, she idly played with her fingers, sign of being nervous, “He’s rich.”

“Oh, I see.”, Petra interrupted his story, rather rudely in his opinion, “He didn’t offer you money for your gym when you were doing bad? That’s why?”

“No, that’s not it at all. I don’t even think I could ask him for cash, ever.” 

“Why’s that?”

“Wanting money from a guy who’s dating your sister?”, Levi shook his head, “It would feel like pimping her out, I could never do it. Never.”

Plus, Eren was taking a great care of Mikasa anyway. He gave her the bike, then the flat they lived in together at first, and after finishing school the house they moved in. 

“Okay then, sorry for stopping you. Go on, please.”

“Only if you promise to keep quiet.”

She made a show of locking her mouth shut and throwing away the key.

“Right, where was I…”

“Rich?”, he said, stroking his chin, “You didn’t know that before?”

Mikasa shot him a reprimanding look.

“This might come as a surprise for you, but we didn’t go around at that party exchanging the balances of our accounts. There really was no reason to wonder about my or his financial situation, but last night we started talking about how we used to live and the conversation just kind of got there.”

“All right, but why is it a bad thing?”

“I mean, the truth is that I’m not exactly drowning in money, right? And with him being like this….”, she grimaced, “I don’t want people to think I’m a gold digger or anything, you know?”

“Does he think that?”

She looked up form her fidgeting fingers, wondering what he meant.

“Think what?”

“That you are only after his money.”

“No, of course not. He knows I had no idea.”

“Then fuck the others.”, Levi leaned in, putting a hand on Mikasa’s shoulder, “You know the truth, and he knows the truth. That’s what matters, right?”

She grinned, nodding.

“Fuck them.”

 

“The supportive brother.”, Petra patted his hand again, “It’s good to see that side of you that isn’t a total dick to everyone.”

“Yea, I try to keep it hidden.”

“You are doing an amazing job of that.”

“Good to hear.”

“Listen, I really enjoyed our talk, but I really have to go.”, with an apologetic shrug, Petra stood up, offering her hand. Levi took it, shaking it lightly, and for some reason he found himself not wanting this moment to end.

“Maybe we could meet again?”, the words left his lips before he could stop himself, but Petra didn’t seem offender by his proposition. On the contrary, she smiled.

“I’d love that.”

As she was leaving, a seemingly last thought struck her, and Petra turned on the spot, getting Levi’s attention.

“Now that I think about it, I never asked what’s your second half, right?”

He just started at her.

“You know, you are half Japanese, so what’s the other one? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Nah, its fine.”, interesting question that’s for sure,” Dad was Russian.”

“Really? Well, maybe you could help me with translating a phrase I’ve been hearing. Now how did it go…”

Levi could see it, from the way her lips pressed together, trying to keep the giggling in, from the sparkle of her eyes, and all the other different signs of her body. He sighed.

“Don’t say it...”

Petra just ignored him, as usual.

“Oh, i remember! Cyka blyat.”

Levi's head hit the table.

 

In retrospective, staying behind alone with Mikasa at the bar was a really stupid idea on Jean’s part. Sasha was god knows where, Connie left early, saying he must take care of something, and suddenly it was just the two of them, putting finishing touches at the interior. Most of the time they worked silently, exchanging just the necessary words, but it was more than enough. Despite all his talk with Hitch, despite his brave words about being over it, Jean still found himself captivated by her, the way she moved, the sure grip of her fingers, the strength she displayed with easily picking up stuff he would never guess she can lift. And then there were those little things. Redness of her cheeks from the physical activity, movement of her hand as she brushed some strands of hair from her face, the smile she shot him when they finished a particularly difficult task together. In the end, it all boiled down to the hammer. Mikasa asked him to hand it to her, and he did, but when she was taking it from him their fingers brushed, and Jean’s eyes shot up, traveling over her body. And that’s when he saw them. The bruises. Littered all over neck, at the top, even disappearing beneath the fabric of her shirt, although there was a strip in the middle without any, as if whoever put those love bites on her avoided that area, for reasons unknown. Feeling like all the air was pushed out of his lungs, Jean made a pathetic excuse and dashed out of the door, leaving the confused Mikasa alone, unable to face her anymore. 

Cursing himself, cursing her, cursing whatever came into his mind, he dug through his pockets for a cigarette, only to realize that he quit smoking, years ago, pulling out his phone instead, staring at the display. Robbed of nicotine, he thought of a different way to make himself feel better, the one he used multiple times recently, and dialed Hitch’s number, waiting for her to answer. Luck didn’t seem to completely desert him, yet at least, because after two rings, she picked up, greeting him with the voice he came to like and admire so much. 

“Hey Hitch, you free for lunch? Want to meet?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm most likely going back to the past in the near future, just a heads up.  
> Got some ideas i want to write out.
> 
> Till next time!


	62. In Pursuit

It was cold outside, as one could expect at this time of the year, making Sasha shiver and bury deeper into her coat. That damn cook told her that his shift was ending, she checked her watch, fifteen minutes ago, yet here she was, and Niccolo was nowhere to be seen. Sitting in her wheelchair in front of the soup kitchen, she must have looked like a beggar, judging from the glances the passing pedestrians threw her way. Gritting her teeth, she just hoped that no one who actually knows her will walk past, because that would be rather embarrassing. Finally, after about five more minutes of her contemplating if the guy didn’t forget about her, Niccolo appeared, nodding in greetings as he came to stand next to her, hands hidden in the pockets of his jacket.

“What took you so long?”, Sasha hissed at him, righteously upset. 

“What? I’m late?”, he frowned down at his phone, shrugging afterwards, “Whoops.”

Bastard. But she couldn’t antagonize him, he was the best lead she had. 

“So, can we go?”, she asked, forcing a smile on her face despite really wanting to punch the smug bastard right between the eyes.. Or in his stomach, if she was being realistic, because she couldn’t reach his head. 

“Just one last thing.”, Niccolo looked left and right, squatting to be on level with her, which simultaneously gave her the perfect opportunity to fulfill her dream of breaking his nose. With a lot of self- denial, she pushed that desire back. For now. “Is there something you didn’t tell me? Anything that could help us?”

“Gabi talked about needing a “fix” from time to time. Does that help?”

He nodded.

“Immensely.”, Niccolo grinned, “Luckily for you, I do have certain knowledge of the drug underworld here, so don’t worry. I know just the person to talk to.”. Standing up, he stretched, groaning when his back popped a bit. Spending the whole day behind counter and handing out soup was not exactly comfortable. “Shall we?”

With Niccolo leading, Sasha followed, wheeling herself next to him. The road was silent, with only the passing cars cutting into it. She was used to being around introverts, after all, she was Mikasa’s friend, but she wanted to know more about this guy, the I’m a cook and volunteer in soup kitchen profile didn’t really cut it for her, especially when she had to trust him with something as personal as this. 

“So, Niccolo,”, she began, getting his attention, “your family is Italian?”

“Because of the name, huh?”, he smiled, “It does give it away, doesn’t it. Anyway, if you are interested, I was born and raised in America, but my grandfather was Italian.”, he looked down at Sasha, his voice dropping to a secretive whisper, “Apparently he was a mobster, and tried fucking with the wrong people, so he was forced to flee Italy to save his life. Crook can’t deal with a boss.”, he looked back forward, making sure that they were taking the right street. “That’s how mafia works.”

She watched his face with an unamused expression.

“You’re full of shit.”

“I know.”, Niccolo shrugged, “But it’s much more interesting than what actually happened. Dad simply wanted to live in America, so he came over and met mom here. Not much of a fun story now, is it.”

“I prefer the truth.”

“Suit yourself.”

Abruptly, he stopped, turning back to Sasha. 

“We are here.”

Sasha wanted to ask what does “here” mean, but then she noticed a man coming their way, dark skinned youth in a buttoned-up jacket. He reached Niccolo, and they nodded at each other, before his gaze slid down to Sasha, and he frowned. 

“Who’s this Nico? A cop?”

Before the cook could answer however, Sasha did it for him.

“Oh yes, I’m a policewoman, special wheelchair division.”, she patted the side of her seat to emphasize her point, “We specialize in chasing running suspects and climbing stairs.”

“Right, chill lady, I’m just careful.”, satisfied with her outburst, he turned back towards Niccolo, who extended his hand.

“You got the stuff?”

Instead of answering, the youth reached into his coat and pulled out a small plastic bag, stuffed with certain substance that she recognized from her college years.

“Weed? You’re buying weed? Do you two realize that it’s been legalized?”

So, they were doing all this sneaking around and cop accusations for a few grams of cannabis, which you can buy in a regular drugstore nowadays. Perfect, just perfect.

“I do know that.”, ignoring her, Niccolo pocketed the bag, “And I also know that I can get better price per gram here than in any other store. Plus, I’m also getting something else…. right?”

“Right.” Agreed the salesman, pulling out another package from his pockets of wonders, smaller this time, filled with pills. Sasha watched, wide-eyed, as Niccolo grinned in satisfaction, handing over some cash.

“So, we came here just so you can get your stuff? Or what the fuck did we walk all the way for?”

“All in due time.”, as if annoyed by her eagerness, he shook his head, looking up at his supplier. “Listen buddy, I need to know, have you seen a young girl recently? About thirteen, apparently going around with a guy of the same age. We just want to know if you sold her anything, and where.”

“I don’t deal with underage kids. Shit’s too risky.”, the dealer redirected his eyes at Sasha, “Sorry lady, can’t help.”

“Well, worth a shot, thanks anyway.”

With that, the man turned around and walked away the same way he came, doing his best not to look suspicious.

“Dead end?”

“Nah, not at all. An elimination tactic.”, Niccolo looked smug, even with Sasha glaring at him. “Now we know that she didn’t buy form this guy and can move on from here.”

“Ah, and you get your own fix in the meanwhile. Junkie.”

“I just take some stuff from time to time, to feel better.”, he patted the pocket where he hid the weed, “Nothing beats a joint after work.” 

Whatever, Sasha wasn’t here to criticize his life choices. She came to find Gabi.

“So, what now?”

“Easy. Now we…”, but before Niccolo could finish his thought a motorbike stopped nearby, and a figure jumped off, removing the helmet to reveal a pale face framed by waterfall of shiny midnight hair. Sasha’s eyes widened. She knew that face very well. 

“Sash? What are you doing here?”, Mikasa asked, her eyes flying over to Niccolo, measuring him. “Who’s this?”

“This? Uhm that’s…. eh..”, Sasha’s brain was working in overdrive, trying to figure out an excuse that her friend would buy. It had to be something real, something good, because Mikasa was far from stupid, and wouldn’t buy just anything. “A cook?”

“Cook?”, the biker wondered, looking back at him.

Niccolo smiled, giving Mikasa a small nervous wave. He seemed to be shrinking where he stood, rather intimidated by her presence. 

“Yes, a cook. Me, Armin and Connie are considering adding a kitchen for our bar, and this guy, Niccolo, is one of the potential hires to work there.”, she nodded, satisfied with her fabrication, “It’s of course just a possibility, nothing is certain.”

“Okay… But why are you meeting out on the street?”

Damn she was persistent.

“We just wanted to get some fresh air.”

Mikasa seemed to be turning her statements over in her head, eyes flicking from Sasha to Niccolo and back. The whole thing didn’t seem right, not at all, but she had no intention of trying to act like a Spanish inquisition towards her friend and just grill her out in the street. Sasha’s life was her own. Faking her best, “I understand”, expression, she took a step back towards her ride. 

“Well, I’ll leave you to it then.”, she finally spoke, putting her helmet back on and mounting the bike with a practiced movement. “See you around Sash. Niccolo”

With that, she kicked the machine back to life, and with a screeching of tires disappeared after taking a sharp corner. Sasha exhaled in relief, wiping her brow. Crisis averted.

“Fuck.”, Niccolo breathed out as soon as Mikasa was gone, hanging his head, “She was scary.”

“Scary?”, Sasha blinked in surprise, not sure where that was coming from. She wouldn’t call Mikasa scary, but then again, they knew each other for a very long time. It was hard imagining someone as scary after you saw them wiggling on the bed, trying to hide beneath the blanket moaning “Just five more minutes.”, when you tried waking them up in time for class. 

“Yea, with the bike and her figure and the black leather clothes and stuff, she looked like a gangster.”, he gestured towards his face, “the dark lipstick and narrowed eyes didn’t really help it either. And the way she looked at me, it was just…”, he ran out of words, shrugging. “Scary.”

“And here I thought you knew how mafia worked.”, Sasha couldn’t stop herself from poking fun at him, just a little bit, for all his previous bullshitting. Felt good. 

“Yea well,”, he let out a breathy laugh, “this one was definitely a hitman.”

Finally collecting his bearings, he straightened, giving Sasha a wink.

“Let’s go.”

“You never told me where we are going now.”, she said as she followed him, matching his tempo.

“Oh right, it’s a…. well, how do I say it, a house where you can shoot your stuff into the vein without fear of someone robbing you and raping you after. Safe house of sorts.”

“Crack house.”, Sasha corrected him.

“You could say that. They do sell more than crack though, they are rather well supplied.”

“Wonderful.”

“It’s a good thing.”, he pointed out, “Since we don’t know what Gabi’s thing is, we can’t filter places by what they sell.”

“How do you even know all these people?”, Sasha wondered, “Wild youth?”

“Grew up around them.”, he said, but didn’t elaborate further. This conversation was over. 

The rest of their way was quiet, as Sasha sensed that she broached a sensitive topic that Niccolo didn’t have any intention of speaking about. The destination showed to be a rundown building, the stairs at the front flanked by three guys, lounging around. Not suspicious at all. 

“Wait here.”, Niccolo ordered, crossing the street to meet the welcoming party.

Ignoring her gut, which was telling her that this was a bad idea, Sasha watched him swagger right into them, greeting the one who stood up with a raised hand. They talked between themselves, with the guard pointing at Sasha, demanding something, but Niccolo calmed him with a few choice words. After a bit more discussion, and some money flowing from the cook’s pocket to the sentry’s, they parted, with Niccolo returning to her with a thoughtful expression.

“Didn’t see her either.”, he said, shaking his head. 

Sasha could feel the desperation in her rising. Nothing at the guy they met before, nothing here. What now?

“He did promise that he will put a word out, for a small fee.”, seeing her so crestfallen, he put a hand on her shoulder, “Don’t worry, she will turn up. Sooner or later.” 

“Why would he help you? Just for the money?”

“That and other things. Dealing with a minor is tricky, if you get caught the authorities will fuck you hard.”, he stammered, cheeks coloring slightly. “Excuse my language.”

So, he drags her through a meeting with a drug dealer, to a street where a crack house is, and he still apologizes for swearing. This guy.

“It’s quite all right. Thanks for the help today.”, burying her hands in her pockets, she blinked up at him. “But what do we do now?”

“Now we wait. I’ll contact you as soon as someone finds her, I promise.” He handed her his phone, watching Sasha put her number in. He chuckled. “Gotta be honest, this is the hardest I ever worked for getting a girl’s number.”

“Then you had it easy.”, Sasha answered, returning both his phone and his smile. “Wonderful first date, I learned a lot about drug dealing in our city. Call me?”

Niccolo pocketed his device. 

“Count on it.”

 

Half a city away, Mikasa sat in a random bar, replaying the weird encounter in her head. From time to time, she liked to just take her bike and ride, with no destination in mind, simply enjoying the way the motor purred between her legs. What she didn’t expect however, was her meeting Sasha in a rather unpleasant part of town, accompanied by a short blond guy, talking out in the street. She circled the cold bottle of coke with her fingers, studying the mental image she made of them. Both Sasha and the guy, Niccolo, seemed nervous, and the excuse that she was interviewing him to be a cook at the bar didn’t sit well with her at all. Why would you look for a staff, when your establishment has no kitchen? Mikasa was also rather familiar with the layout, as she spent a lot of her free time there, helping, and she knew that there were no plans on building anything new. But even if her friend told her that the guy was a waiter or something more credible, she would still have very strong doubts about it. Talking in the street, in that part of the town? Yea right. 

The meeting plagued her mind, so much in fact that she couldn’t focus on driving, so she took the first exit she saw and went to sit down, entering a bar she never visited before. There were a lot of bikes in the front, and the interior was half full of leather clad men and women, making her realize that this was most likely some kind of biker meeting point. With her clothes, she fit right in. The atmosphere was nice, rock music playing, with most of the patrons playing pool, talking and laughing between themselves. No one seemed to be paying any attention to her, which suited her just fine, until a man emerged from the crowd, coming to sit down next to her. 

“Now what’s a beauty like you doing here all alone?”, he asked with a suggestive smile.

His intentions were easy to guess, so instead of answering, Mikasa held up her hand, letting the light shine on her engagement ring, offering him an apologetic shrug, hoping that he will understand. To her own surprise, he did. 

“That’s a damn shame.”, he muttered, standing up, “Have a great evening miss.”

And with that, the well-mannered biker returned to his group, leaving her alone. With that out of the way, she was once again free to think about Sasha. What was she doing there? The dramatic explanation would of course be cheating on Connie, but her friend wasn’t that kind of person. Sure, she was way more socially active than Mikasa, having a number of boyfriends and even some short flings in college, but to her knowledge she never cheated on anyone, ever. Then again, what other solutions were there? Why would she just hang around bad neighborhood with a random dude, chilling on the street? Mikasa had no idea. Finishing her coke, she decided to go back out for another ride, hoping that the wind and the sound of engine will put her mind to ease. 

The door creaked closed behind her, as she jumped on her bike once more, speeding away.


	63. Back to the Roots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a very long pause, I think it's high time to see what Annie is up to.
> 
> Enjoy!

Cold wind whipping at her coat, it somehow managed to find a way in to her skin even with her buttoning it all the way up to the neck. Shivering and stomping her feet to warm up a bit, she took a deep breath, casting an inspecting eye over the street around her. It was weird. Annie was back home, in Europe, in the city she grew up in, but somehow she felt more out of place than she ever did in America. Bowing against the wind, she started walking, looking for that one building she knew so intimately. And it wasn’t her home. 

The gym was exactly where it was when her dad told her about the big move, rocking her whole world. Small and grey, it squatted at the end of a block, frowning at her as she came close. Its gray walls looked in quite a good shape, all things considered, the graffiti cleaned for once, and Annie allowed herself to smile before she opened the door, slipping in. 

She wasn’t surprised to find the gym empty, as the hour was still quite early, but she still heard the muffled conversation and laughter of exactly the people she came here to see. Rounding a corner, she was greeted by a sound of leather creaking, as the bigger of the pair was giving it a proper do-over right now. Not sure how to draw attention to herself, she cleaned her throat, rather loudly, which seemed to alert both of them, their heads turning in her direction.

“Annie!”, shouted the blond, jumping over the ropes with a speed the defied his massive build, closing the distance in two steps and enveloping the girl in a bone-crushing hug. 

“Bert, it’s the Lioness!”, he said to his companion, who just approached, grinning from ear to ear. “She’s back.”

“I can see that.”, the dark-haired man nodded, “Maybe you shouldn’t crush her the second she appears though, how about that.”

“Oh right.”, releasing Annie, who was just remembering that oxygen Is necessary for the function of the human brain, and the hug wasn’t letting any in. She took a step back, breathing in, putting her hands on her hips to stabilize herself as she looked the pair over.

“Reiner,”, she smiled at the blond, “Bertold,”, to the dark-haired one, “it’s good to see you two.”

They looked exactly as she remembered them. Reiner had a head full of bright blond hair, sharp features, and tall, broad shouldered body. He was wearing a tank top for his workout, so Annie could see the way his muscles bulged underneath the skin. Reiner was always a big guy, and the months she hasn’t seen him didn’t change that fact at all. Well, maybe he was even a bit broader, now that she thought about it. Bertold was even taller than Reiner, but where his friend was thick, he was thin, towering over everyone like a giant skeleton. All right, she was overplaying it a bit, he wasn’t that bony, but compared to Reiner his stature really did stand out. 

“I have so many questions!”, Reiner blurted out, not able to hold his excitement in anymore, hands half-reaching out as if he wanted to hug her again, but than he thought better of it and pulled back. 

“I’d like to talk too, is the roof still available?”

They both grinned at the same time.

“Totally.”

 

Annie didn’t remember when the tradition of their conversations up on the gym’s roof started, but it lasted for as long as she could recall. Here, with a cup of hot coffee in her hand, she was finally starting to feel welcome again, so much different and better than the cold anonymity of the streets. 

“So,”, Reiner began, “how’s America?”

“Fine. Although I miss it here from time to time.”

“How about your father, leg still bothering him?”, Berthold interjected. 

“Eh, you know him, he’s sitting back in the states. Soldering on day by day.”

The mere thought of her father left a bitter taste in her mouth, as it brought back the reason why she was even here in the first place. 

“All right, out with it.”, Reiner took back the word, frowning at his taller friend, “What about the girl? The one your father was so obsessed with beating. Erm, what was she called, something exotic…?”

“Mikasa.”

Memories of blood, the rain. The sound her hand made when the bone snapped, the sickening crunch. The dark silhouette that loomed over her, Annie’s vision swimming with pain, looking ready to beat the shit out of her before surprisingly pulling back. She shivered. Not very pleasant. 

“I trained with her for a time, but we had a falling out. She’s good, great partner.”

Reiner nodded, exchanging a quick look with Berthold, the silence returning. Annie took another sip of her coffee, looking over the roofs, very aware of the topic that was coming up, the elephant in the room. Well, she couldn’t avoid it for long anyways.

“Annie, you can guess what we both want to know now.” Berthold started, slowly, “You appear here, out of nowhere, without your dad, looking a bit haunted if you forgive me the word.”, a hand appeared on her shoulder, as the tall man was apparently showing his support, “What happened?”

She didn’t answer right away, sorting stuff in her head, not sure how to begin. Back on the plane, she thought about it, a lot, tried to figure out the right order of words, but there really was no way to prepare herself for the big reveal. Deciding that it was now or never, she dropped the big question, the one that was burning a hole into her mind ever since she walked away alive from the park Annie was sure she was going to lose her life in. 

“Was I always this stupid?”

“I… Uhm…”, Reiner exchanged a look with Bertold, both unsure of what to say, “What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? Isn’t it obvious? No? Let me rephrase then. Did I always let my father walk all over me, with those stupid talks about his dream, did I always let him dictate everything in my life, not stopping once to ask myself if that’s what I really want?”

“Annie,”, Bert was the one talking, always the calmer and more level-headed of the two, “Your father loves you, he wants only the best for you.”

She shook her head.

“Answer the question.”

“He always had rather strong influence on your life, if that’s what you mean. I’d say… I’d say that you were more than willing to follow his orders.”

“Jesus…”, she hung her head in shame, “So I was always just his little puppet.”

“No, Annie, listen,”, Reiner spoke, “we were there, remember? You did what your dad said, but those were not bad things! He took care of you, especially after your mom left, and Bert is right.”, he nodded at his friend, “Your father wanted the best for you, he always did.”

“Sometimes what’s best for me isn’t what I want.”, she said to no one in particular, under her breath. 

“There was this guy,”, she began, really just wanting to dump it all on her friends, let them know everything, make them understand, “we met back in states, after my first fight with Mikasa. We went out a couple of times and things just… happened. I got shot protecting his friend, who in the same time is Mikasa’s fiancé…”

“Wait what?”, Reiner jumped to his feet, eyes wide, “You got shot?”

“Yes, but I recovered. As I was saying…”

“Annie, you can’t just say that you got shot and continue talking! Who shot you? Why? What…”

“Reiner!”, she fixed him with a stern look, “It’s not important, I can tell you later. Now will you let me finish?”

“I…”, seeing that she won’t back down, he sighed, sitting back down, “Fine, whatever. Sorry for interrupting.”

One of your closest friends just announces that she got seriously wounded and he was supposed to just smile and nod at it. Great.

“Things were amazing,”, Annie continued, “but then I took him to meet my father and…”, her expression soured, “that was the start of the downhill slope. Dad strongly suggested that I should break up with him, because he adds no value to my training, that he distracts me, and stupid as I am, I obeyed.”, her fists clenched around the coffee cup, “Like a sheep, I followed his orders, ending up the great relationship I had, just because he said so. It opened my eyes, finally, and I saw just how easily I let him manipulate me, use me to his own ends. After that, stuff just fell apart, and here I am.”, she looked up, offering a weak smile. “That’s it, that’s the story.”

Bertold was the one to break the silence, standing up and gathering all the cups with a few swipes of his long hands. 

“We are going to need a lot more coffee to talk this through.”

Annie couldn’t agree more. 

 

From the way Hitch was watching him, it wasn’t hard to see that her psychiatric mind was full at work.

“What am I supposed to do then?”, Jean felt as if her gaze was piercing right into his mind, watching the embarrassing event unfold, over and over again, “I don’t want to act like a five-year-old anytime I’m alone with her. I don’t want to fuck everything up by blurting out some stupid shit, one that will be completely inappropriate, just because I can’t think straight around her.”

“Mikasa is really your kryptonite, isn’t she?”

Apparently in no rush, Hitch took another bite, rolling it around in her mouth. Damn, the taco was good. 

“How about you suggest something then, instead of sitting there and stuffing your face.”, he growled at her, his patience wearing thin, but Hitch didn’t even seem to take notice. She was more than being used to people swearing at her, it was a part of her job.   
“Just a few weeks back, you told me that you don’t even want to be with her anymore, that you understand, and now this. Intriguing.”

“Yea well, tell that to my dick.”, Jean thought that it was accurate to say, because he always seemed to think with that part of his body instead of his brain anytime Mikasa was involved. He shook his head in desperation, “I don’t think I want to be with her, I just want… her. Understand?”

“Perfectly.”, she nodded, completely calm, while Jean was feeling like a total asshole. Here he was, sitting with an amazing and beautiful woman that he felt genuinely good around, but all he could talk about was that there was someone else, someone who he couldn’t stop thinking about no matter how hard he tried.

“What do I do doc.”

“Easy. You get to know her.”

Now it was Jean’s turn to be surprised.

“Huh?”

“Tell me, how many times did you talk to Mikasa, one on one, for a longer period of time?”

“Ehm, once? I think?”

Hitch looked downright smug.

“That’s exactly my point. I don’t think you are obsessed with her, you are obsessed with a mental image of her that you made. A perfect woman you dreamt up, and slapped her face right on top.”, she leaned forward, “Talk to her. Get to know her. Discover what she really is like, and then we can move from there. If your fascination will persist, we will solve it, but I have the feeling that it won’t.”

“That… That sounds surprisingly logical actually.”

“I know right?”, she flashed him a smile, standing up. “Now I would love to stay and chat, but I have a patient coming up, so I gotta run.”

Hitch pressed a quick kiss to Jean’s cheek, giving him a small wave before disappearing, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

 

Sitting in the tub was relaxing, and Eren allowed himself to just lay down and do nothing for a minute, closing his eyes. Work was as exhausting as usual, with the stream of patients not dwindling, opposite really, which meant that his shifts were getting progressively longer to deal with them. The stunt that Mikasa pulled, the maid thing, was just plain amazing, and it kept him going for far longer than he even dared to hope, but even that energy was coming to an end. All he could hope for today was a few hours of shut eye, and then it’s back to work, where he has twelve hours and…..

The bathroom door opened, making Eren sit up, allowing Mikasa to stroll in, wearing a black bikini. She crossed the distance to the tub, sitting on the edge, and put one leg up, showing Eren that she had heels on for some reason. And sunglasses, he realized, when she pushed them back, revealing a pair of grey eyes, watching him from her perch with an amused expression.

“I see you don’t have a lifeguard here at your beach.”, she said, making him wonder if work really didn’t make him go insane.

“I’m not at the beach this is a bathtub.”, Eren shot back, but Mikasa’s smirk didn’t disappear. Gracefully as always, she slid in, straddling his waist in the water. 

“Still, I better keep an eye out. You don’t want to drown do you?”

Shaking his head, Eren had to agree that taking a bath did seem like more fun when she was involved. And it was good having her here for security too, right?

After all, there could be sharks hiding beneath the foam.


	64. Be My Valentine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I had no plans on doing a Valentine's chapter, but then certain someone wrote to me on tumblr, asking for one.  
> I just couldn’t let the person down.  
> So, I cooked something fast up, and I certainly do hope that you all will like it.
> 
> Enjoy!

It was a morning same as any other. Mikasa woke up, and still in half-sleep turned to run her hand over the other part of the bed, finding it exactly as empty as she expected. With a sigh, she got up, doing her morning hygiene routines with a tinge of sadness under her skin. Sure, she knew that Eren was more than busy lately, but still, a little part of her expected something from him, at least today. Nothing grand mind you, the greatest gift would be if he just took a day off, and spent it with her, not at work.. 

To uplift her mindset, Mikasa sang a happy birthday to herself in the shower. It helped. A little bit.

In the kitchen, there was a pot of coffee and some breakfast waiting for her, alongside scribbled note from Eren, which said that he’ll probably remain in the hospital overnight, as surgeries were piling up, so Mikasa shouldn’t wait for him to come back home. Wasn’t the first time in recent weeks, and probably not the last either. Crumpling the paper in her fist, she didn’t even realize how hard she gripped it until her knuckles started bleeding white. Ah well, no reason to dwell on it. 

It felt good to immerse herself in work too, forgetting about her birthday altogether, and the reaction, or well, rather lack of one, from her boyfriend. The photoshoot was exactly as taxing as she needed, taking her mind off everything she didn’t want to think about. Dot controlled the scene with his usual calmness and experienced hand, moving around models, objects and props with the sureness of someone who spent over a decade in the business. Everything went smoothly, or Mikasa thought so, which only made her more surprised when Dot called her over at the end of the scene. Did she fuck something up?

“What’s up?”, she asked as she came close, nervously adjusting the red dress she was wearing for the shoot. 

“Should something be?”, he raised a bushy eyebrow at her.

“Well, you called me here so..”, Mikasa shrugged, “what did I do wrong?”

“Wrong? Nothing of course, you were amazing as usual. I just wanted to wish you happy birthday, that’s all.”, seeing her surprised face, he grinned, “You didn’t think I’d remember, did you?”

“Well, kind of, yea.. Don’t take it personally Dot, but we don’t know each other so well.”

“Oh, you’re right my girl, but,”, he puffed out his chest a bit, “I do take certain pride in knowing at least the birthdays of my favorite models. And you qualify for that category. 100% “

Mikasa was happy, of course she was, but it did put certain things in perspective. For example, the fact that the man she was working with for just a few months remembered her birthday, while her fiancé didn’t. Bittersweet.

“I got you little something. “the old man continued, pointing at the gown she was wearing, “This dress! You can keep it!”

“I can’t take that, It’s…”

But he was already shaking his head.

“It’s for you, and I won’t change my mind. It looks amazing on you anyway.”

Lacking the words to reply, Mikasa hugged him, whispering a thank you into his ear.

“You know,”, he chuckled, “If I was thirty years younger, I’d totally take this opportunity to drop my hands down below your waist my dear.”

She pinched him.

“Pervert.”

“Just saying how it is.”, taking a step back, Dot looked her up and down, nodding to himself, “But it really does look great on you. Your boyfriend is very lucky, if you don’t mind me saying.”

The answering smile that appeared on Mikasa’s lips was forced. She could look as amazing as she physically could, but if Eren was never home to see her…. then what was the point?

 

It was rather dark when she left the building, jumping on her bike to take her to the gym. With Eren spending the night at work, again, she really had no reason to just sit home and stare at the wall. Plus, she could buy herself a cake on the way back. Everybody loves cake. The gym was eerily dark as she pulled near, making her wonder if Levi didn’t close it down for the night, but then again, what would he be doing? With a frown, she pushed the door open, her confusion only increasing because it wasn’t locked. And then….

“Surprise!”

A loud cheerful roar from multiple throats and a full-on explosion of light, as someone switched them on, hit her right in the face, making her jump back and take a defensive stance until she realized what was happening. A surprise party. For her birthday. Despite her usual lack of emotion, Mikasa could feel her eyes getting wetter. They remembered after all. Almost everyone was there. Levi, Hange, Ymir, Krista, Armin, Sasha, Connie, even Jean and Hitch. However, a quick look around confirmed her suspicion that the one person she was looking forward the most didn’t make it. Armin must have sensed her slight disappointment, because he stepped forward, looking a bit guilty.

“I called him a few times, but he didn’t pick up. Ymir said that he has a lot of surgeries today, so he’s probably not even checking his phone.”, he looked down at his feet, “I’m sorry, I should have told him earlier. It’s my fault.”

“No, it’s not.”, Ymir stopped him, frowning, “For starters, the stupid workaholic should know himself when his girlfriend’s birthday is, no? And not picking up his phone for the whole day….”, she looked at Mikasa, shrugging, ‘Don’t take it bad, I know that he’s a great guy, but sometimes he’s just.... dumb, really. No other word to describe it.”

“It’s fine, we don’t need Eren to have fun!”, Sasha spoke up, holding up a box. “I made cake!”

The whole gym cheered to that, confirming Mikasa’s musing from earlier. Everybody really did love cake. The party was, in one word, amazing. Sasha really outdid herself, baking not only the prodigious cake but a number of other delicacies, satisfying all kinds of hunger. Drinks were also plentiful, Connie took care of that, and Mikasa didn’t forget to thank him for it. He smiled, and for the rest of the evening looked a tad bit less grumpy than usual. But before Sasha let anyone touch her food, they had to give Mikasa the presents, and she had to unbox them, with her friend right next to her, peering over her shoulder. She got some useful things, like a bottle of cleaning agent from Levi, some stupid things, like a pair of party glasses from Sasha, and even some stuff that made her question if the gifter was serious or not. The bottle of cherry scented lube from Hange made everyone look at her, but all the scientist did was shrug.

“What? It’s useful!”

After this humiliating experience, Sasha finally broke out the food, and the party really began. And yes, she surely didn’t need Eren to have fun, and promptly forgot that he wasn’t even there. Taking a break from all the talking inside, she stepped out for a minute, breathing in the cold night air. After a few seconds, the door opened again, and Jean stepped out, joining her. Rummaging through his pockets, he pulled out a box of cigarettes, offering it to her.

“Want one?”

“Thanks, but I don’t smoke.”

“Well, me neither.”, taking one, he put it in his mouth chewing, “It’s gum, I just figured it would be a good icebreaker.”

Giggling, Mikasa did take one, and for some time they just stood next to each other, trying to triumph over the other by creating a bigger bubble. 

“I have a question.”, he started, watching her try and fail to make one, “I watched some of your fights on YouTube, but I couldn’t recognize the style you do. What is it?”

“It’s a mix of different stuff. Levi taught it to me, and I made some changes for it to fit me better over the years.”, Mikasa looked up at him, “I didn’t know that you were into fighting sports.”

“Yea, I don’t like to brag, but I did some Krav Maga during my younger years.”

“That’s good to know. We can spar sometime, if you want to.”

“Let me think about it.”, Jean said out loud, while being quite sure he’s never going to take her up on that offer. Their skill levels were miles apart, and he didn’t really feel like getting beaten to a pulp by his crush.

“Here,”, Jean said after Mikasa did a bubble so big, he was sure he can’t win anymore, “I got you something small too.”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a tiny box, presenting it to her. When she opened it, it revealed a bracelet, and upon closer inspection Mikasa noticed that it was made by a number of interlocked metal horse heads and horseshoes. 

“Just a little something to remember me by.”, he said with a half-smile.

“It’s amazing, thank you.”

It looked good on her wrist too, jingling slightly when she shook her hand.

“I tried to stalk you on social media to figure out what you would like, but you don’t have any presence there at all. There is a Facebook account which is yours, but nothing on Instagram, or snapchat. Why’s that?”

“I never really had the need to accumulate internet likes by showing my butt online.”

He grinned.

“Understandable. But some online stuff would help the gym, make it more popular. I could talk to Levi about it if you want.”

“That sounds great, but what would It cost us?”

“Eh, don’t mention it. Think about it as another birthday present.”

The hug he got, that was more than enough for a payment.

 

Working his jaw, Eren tried hard to focus on the lines of tiny black text in front of him, information about his next patient, the first of today. The nights at the hospital were always something he didn’t really look forward to, but it allowed him to just go back to work first thing in the morning, so he suffered in silence. Yet something was buzzing in his ears, annoying enough for him to look up, only to see that it was Ymir, talking as usual. Well, deciding that he couldn’t get any work done with her around, he put the file down, trying to focus on what she was saying.

“I was thinking like, handcuffs? Maybe a riding crop even. Hell, I don’t know what those people use, and…”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Ymir looked down at him, arching an eyebrow.

“Valentine’s! What else? With Krista talking about some rough stuff, I was just thinking that I might as well deliver if she wants it so…”

“Wait, wait, wait. Valentine’s day? When is it?”

“Ehm… Today? Hello?”

Slowly, surely, the facts connected in Eren’s head, making his eyes widen.

“It can’t be.”

“Check the calendar if you don’t trust me, but I assure you that it is. What, why are you so surprised?”

“It can’t be Valentine’s.”, he repeated stubbornly, frowning at his colleague.

It couldn’t be. Because if she was right that meant… that meant…

“I missed Miki’s birthday.”

Ymir shook her head in despair.

“Of course you did, I told you! We had a surprise party four days ago for her, one you were too busy to attend.”

Fuck, he wasn’t paying attention to anything Ymir said lately, doing his best to focus at work. But how could he miss such an important event? Well, the answer was rather easy to figure out. Work. Four days ago, he was here, at the hospital, overnight. Then he came home, only to collapse and fall asleep immediately. When he woke up, Mikasa was still sleeping next to him, and he didn’t feel like waking her , so he left quietly for another two-day shift right here. Dropping his head to his hands, he sighed.

“Fucking hell, I’m so stupid.”

“Yup.”

He looked up, glaring at Ymir.

“How about some emotional support?”

“Why? No one but you is forcing those ungodly hours at you. This shit you’re pulling isn’t going to end well.”

Thanks for nothing Ymir. Hell, now he wanted nothing more than to go and apologize to Mikasa, and spend at least the evening with her, but he was already prepared for the surgery. Damn it.

“I’ll go and tell Erwin I need to leave after this one.”, he declared, standing up.

It made Ymir smirk.

“I’m sure that he’s going to be soooo surprised.”, the irony was thick in her reply.

Eren ignored her.

 

Mikasa was greatly surprised when he appeared home, in a good way, returning Eren’s kiss with a burning passion, holding him close even when they separated.

“Look,”, he murmured, “I just want to say that I’m sorry for missing your birthday, I really am. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“It’s okay,”, she whispered, reaching up and running her hand down his cheek. It jingled. Curious as to see why, Eren caught her palm, pulling it closer to his face. Mikasa had a new bracelet, he noticed, pretty thing of connected metal parts, which upon closer inspection showed to be horse heads and shoes. 

“What’s this?”

“A gift from Jean.”, she jingled it again, smiling, “It’s pretty isn’t it?”

Maybe it was the tiredness. Maybe the long working hours without seeing her made him paranoid. Maybe he was just having a bad day. But instead of agreeing, he felt a wave of jealousy hit him, right in the face.

“So, Jean’s giving you gifts now.”, he said, the words carrying even more acid than he intended. Mikasa pulled back, confused expression on her face.

“Well, it was my birthday…”

He interrupted her.

“You do realize that only thing that guy want is to get inside your pants, don’t you?”

“Eren! What the fuck?!”, she looked downright angry now, glaring at him, “I had a birthday, so my friends threw a party for me, one you were too busy to attend I might add. And yes, I got some gifts there, as it usually goes.”

“Wow, I’m so sorry for working!”, he was shouting now, the irrational feelings in his chest swelling, as he gestured around himself, “This doesn’t come from nothing, you know?”

“You’re going to pull that card? Really?”

“I just…”

Looking at her, at the tight line of her lips, at the way her eyebrows were furrowed, her beautiful face so twisted in rage, Eren had a sudden burst of clarity. He was really acting like an asshole. Taking a step back, he shook his head, sighing.

“I need to take a breather. Outside.”

Hearing the door open and close again, Mikasa sat on the couch, putting her head in her hands. So far, this was one hell of a Valentine’s day.

 

Eren came back about two hours later, finding her still on the couch, idly scratching the tattoo on her wrist. She jumped up when he appeared, opening her mouth, but he held up a hand to silence her.

“First of all, I want to say sorry. For everything. The missed birthday, me lashing out at you for no reason… I’m a dick. Next, I want you to know…”, he scratched the back of his neck, looking away, a bit embarrassed. He was not good at this. “that I love you, and appreciate you, and even with us being together for a very long time.”, manning up, he looked her right in the eyes, a certain intensity in his glare, “I never take you for granted. Every day I wake up next to you is a blessing.”

Mikasa didn’t know how to answer that. So, she kissed him, pouring all her feelings and words into the frantic movements of her lips instead, clutching to Eren’s neck like a lifeline. To her surprise, he pulled back first, pulling a small package out of somewhere in his coat, offering it to her. Sitting on the sofa with the thing in her lap, she slowly opened it, spilling red fabric all over her thighs. It was a scarf, a rather luxurious one, feeling like silk underneath her fingers. 

“I really had no idea what to get you.”, Eren declared, taking it from her and wrapping it around her neck, same as all those years ago, “But then I remembered that you still wore my old one, so….”, finishing with his work, he let his hands drop, smiling. “Happy birthday.”

“It’s beautiful,”, Mikasa whispered, feeling the fabric again. It was amazing to touch. “And the only thing I want is you being home more.”, their eyes met, “I miss you.”

“I know. I’ll have to finish this week and the next, but I want to talk to Erwin after, get some time off. I think that I deserve it. He has to cave in, I missed the party because of work.”

“The party was okay, but Sasha made me an amazing cake. Sucks that you missed that one.”, her mouth watered just at the memory, “Delicious.”

But Eren looked far from crestfallen. Standing up, he made a quick visit to the kitchen, returning with a can of whipped cream and a grin, that suggested he had something planned already. Tugging the edge of Mikasa’s shirt over her head, she followed his instruction, quite confused, and before she realized it she was naked, lying beneath him on the couch. 

“See, I don’t really mind that,”, a hiss later, something very cold covered her left nipple, making her gasp, “because I got my favorite cake right here anyway.”, another hiss, and this time it was her right that took the hit. “Sasha can’t compare to this.”

Mikasa did want to say something, comment on his choice of food, but Eren was quite hungry tonight, so dipping his head, he got to work on his treat. And her mind went blank. A lot of “dessert” eating later, and a clean up after, as her whole body was rather sticky from the cream, when they were snuggling together, with Mikasa leeching Eren’s warmth as usual, watching a movie, she couldn’t help but smile. All in all, it was a pretty great Valentine’s day. With countless more to come.


	65. Crime and Punishment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sneaking in not one but two small requests this time. Who is this guy??
> 
> Enjoy!

The coffee swirls were interesting to watch, especially for someone as tired as Eren was. Tiny black whirlpool, going round and round, endlessly chasing after the trail left behind by the spoon. Fruitless activity, as they could never catch it, yet they kept trying. 

“How’s the talk with your mug?”, Ymir walked in smirking, coming to stand next to his table, “Anything interesting?”

“Not much.”, Eren shrugged, taking a sip instead. It hit the spot.

“He isn’t answering.”

“That’s good, since we have to go anyway.”

Nodding, Eren stood up, legs feeling just a tad bit unsteady underneath him. 

“How’s the patient?”

“All prepped and ready. Waiting for us to go and cut him open.”

“Then we better not keep him waiting.”

But when he tried to push his way out of the room, Ymir stopped him, casting an inspecting eye over his disheveled visage.

“Hey, are you sure you’re up to this? That’s some serious case of dark circles under your eyes man.”, she looked him up and down, more unsure by the second, “When was the last time you slept?”

“Oh, come on, what are you, my mom? Let’s go.”

With half playful and half firm shove, he got around her, making his way to the operating theater, with Ymir hot on his heels. Honestly speaking, Eren couldn’t answer her question even if he wanted to. He couldn’t remember the last time he slept.

 

The patch of skin in front of him looked like any other, white and eerie in the intense light, waiting for him to cut. It was a bit blinding, making Eren’s vision swim, flickering from time to time. But it didn’t matter, he had to do this, there was no other way. Taking a deep breath, Eren planted the point of the scalpel right against it, preparing himself. 

“Making the first incision…”

Fingers closed around his wrist, preventing the cut, making his gaze fly up to see who it was. Ymir was staring at him from across the table, eyes hard above the surgical mask.

“Eren what the fuck!”, she hissed, “Your fucking hands are shaking!”

She was right, he realized, looking down at his work. The short trail he left behind, quickly filling with blood, was jagged and zig-zag, ugly against the white. Horrified, he put down the scalpel with a clink, taking a step back.

“Get out of here.”, Ymir rounded the table, taking his place, “I got this.”

“You… good to finish it yourself, need something?”

She shook her head, already working.

“Go.”

Under the puncturing gazes of nurses and the weight of his own failure, he stumbled out. It took all the mental fortitude he had to keep himself on his feet.

 

“Eren.”

Voice he knew very well, deep and rich, radiating calmness. A chair scraped the floor, and someone took a seat across, shifting a bit to get comfortable. Eren was afraid to meet the judgmental gaze, but there really was no way around it, so, steeling himself, he looked up, right into Erwin’s eyes.

“Hello sir.”

“I trust that you know why I’m here.”

“I believe I do.”

“Good.”, a nod, “Then listen closely, because I want you to remember everything I say.”

Erwin leaned back, fingers drumming against the desk.

“Last time I saw you, it was Monday. Have you been home since then?”

“No sir, but its been just a day right? It’s Tuesday?”

“It’s Thursday, Eren.”

Wait, so he went without a proper sleep for three straight days? There were an hour or two long naps he managed to squeeze in, but that was far from enough. Dropping his head to his hands, Eren let out a pained groan. He really did fuck up. 

“I had someone give a quick look over your work for the past days,”, Erwin continued, “and they didn’t find any big faults, so that’s good. But we did find some smaller mistakes, especially in the last hours. I think it’s safe to say that you are in no condition to do a surgery.” His eyes grew hard, “Yet you still attempted to do one, and would probably go through with it if it wasn’t for Ymir.”

“Sir, I’m sorry I…”

But Erwin didn’t let him speak.

“You not fucking up big time and the previous perfect record you have, those are the only reasons I’m not firing you on the spot. Got it?”

“I…”

“Why the hell did you pull this? Four days in a row here?”

Eren’s throat was somewhat dry, and he had to swallow a few times before he could croak an answer.

“I wanted to ask for vacation soon, so I thought that I’ll put in a few more hours to compensate.”

“You already did more in the last month than others do in three. Listen, if you want time off, you come to me, ask for it, and I’ll very gladly give it to you. Okay?”

There really was no room for discussion. Then again, not like Eren deserved to have any.

“Yeah, okay.”

“Good. Now, you will pack your things, go home, and think, really think, about what happened, could have happened. Sure, maybe the surgery would go smoothly, maybe nothing would have happened. But I think that we both know that way more likely is the possibility of you fucking up, and having the person either have some serious complications, or dying outright. There, on the table, just because of you and your stubbornness.”

Erwin stood up, towering in all his impressive height, looking down at Eren.

“I already called your girlfriend to pick you up, so get changed, pack, and wait for her.”

“I can drive…”

“In this state?”, Erwin shook his head, “You will do as I say in this. And Eren, if I see you at work before Monday, I’ll fire you on the spot. Understand?” 

“Crystal clear.”

 

Gamer headset: on.

Knuckles: cracked

Boyfriend: at work (again)

Yep… it’s gamer time.

Watching the loading circle do its endless loop, Mikasa took a sip of her coke, reclining on the sofa. To Eren’s credit, he did say that he has to finish his assignments, because logically, a surgeon can’t just say fuck it and pack and leave in a single day. So no, she wasn’t mad at him, they talked about it, but still. Spending basically the whole week in a hospital…. It was just weird. The leave he promised to take couldn’t be here fast enough. Gaming the evening away was as nice plan as any other, but just before she loaded in, a ring of her phone interrupted Mikasa, making her frown on the screen. Unknown number was calling, and she considered just hanging up for a moment, but in the end decided against it.

“Hello?”

“Miss Ackerman? Hi, this is Erwin Smith, I work at the hospital your fiancé is at?”

Erwin? That was Eren’s boss right? A bit of fear creeped under her skin. 

“Of course, sir, I know who you are. Did something happen? Is Eren okay?”

“That’s up for discussion. Miss Ackerman, we need to talk.”

 

Eren found Mikasa in the lobby, leaning against the wall, lips pressed into a tight line. When she spotted him, her expression didn’t change a bit, and she quickly walked out, not even bothering to check if he was following her. With a sigh, he did. She was already seated on the bike when he reached her, wordlessly giving him the spare helmet.

“Put this on.”

“Look, Miki, I…”

She shook her head.

“Eren, don’t. Just don’t.”

The ride home was silent, with just the wind around him for company. Mikasa’s attitude was about as cold as the weather, as she immediately stormed off as soon as she parked, closing the door after herself with a bang. Shuffling after her, Eren did his best to prepare some sort of speech inside his head, a way to defend his action, but there really was no excuse. He fucked up, plain and simple. Mikasa had her back to him when he entered the living room, hands squeezing the armrest of the couch, the tension in her shoulders clearly visible. Reaching out, he put a hand on her, not missing the way she flinched from his touch. 

“Miki, I’m sorry.”

No response.

“What do you want me to do? Get on my knees and beg for forgiveness? Because I’m not doing that.”, this silent treatment was starting to piss Eren off, and he could feel his temper rising. “I know I fucked up, but you acting like a bitch isn’t really helping so…”

Quick as lightning, she turned, grabbing Eren by the collar and pressing him against the wall, his body sliding upwards. Before he realized what was happening, Eren was hanging in the air, with Mikasa effortlessly holding him up. Her rage was not that quick to boil, but now she was pissed, properly, and it showed. It was scary to realize just how strong she was, when she wasn’t holding back, the grip on his shirt like iron, with Eren having no chance to get out of it unless Mikasa lets him. 

“You know it? You know just how badly you fucked up? Great! So, lets just forget about it, right?”, jaw clenching in anger, she shook him like a sack of potatoes, “Fuck sake Eren, do you realize what could have happened? Do you?”

“I’m sorry, all right?”

“No, it’s not all right. Erwin said that you could have killed someone, just because you are so fucking stubborn! This shit you do, acting like a child, unable to be reasoned with, it just makes me want to bend you over my knee and spank you.”

“Why don’t you then?”

Grey eyes blinked in surprise, looking right into his greens. She had every reason to be taken aback, now that Eren thought about it, but sometimes, people are just weird. Mikasa was angry at him, rightfully, and deep down, Eren wanted to be punished, because it was his fault, no one else’s. Erwin, Mikasa, Ymir, they all told him to stop, go back to normal shifts, go home, rest. But no, he knew better, wouldn’t listen, and ended up almost killing someone. He did act like a child, spoiled and unreasonable, so maybe getting punished like one was exactly the thing that he needed. 

“You know,”, letting him down, Mikasa took a step back, “I just might…”

She was still looking for the confirmation that he was serious, and Eren gladly gave her one.

“I wouldn’t mind.”

“Right. Follow me then.”

Up and to the bedroom, Mikasa removed the decoy punching bag from their old friend, the hook, rummaging through the drawers after. On her command, Eren removed his shirt, holding up his hands in front after for her to cuff them.

“I think that you are a bit too old for over the knee stuff, so we’ll have to improvise.”

Connecting Eren’s wrists together with a chain, she led him to the hook, clicking the things together. Now he was naked from waist up, hands raised, tied to the ceiling, while still having no idea what was about to happen. Mikasa was doing something behind his back, out of sight, most likely choosing the instrument of her wrath. Finding it, she came to stand right behind him, clearing her throat.

“Eren, why am doing this?”

“Because you are a control freak?”

A pause.

“Why am I doing this?”

Well all right, if she wanted to play it like this…

“Because I made a mistake, a big one, which endangered the lives of my patients.”

“And?”, she prompted him to go on.

“And I almost fucked my whole career in the process.”, Eren took a shaky breath, “I ignored every advice, everyone who meant well, and kept going, hardheaded like a kid. So, I’m being punished like one.”

“Good boy.”

The whip bit into his skin painfully, forcing Eren to clench his teeth in order to remain silent. Fuck this was great. It was weird, the primal need he felt, the need to feel some sort of reaction to his actions. He fucked up, big time, and the punishment in the form of a short chastising speech from Erwin just didn’t quite cut it. He wanted the pain, needed it. But tonight, he was feeling especially guilty, and decided to push Mikasa a bit, to see if she would perhaps go a bit harder than usual. After all, what could go wrong?

“Oh? Was that it? I hardly even felt it.”

After a bit of silence, she hit him again, noticeably harder. Good, but somehow not enough.

“Are you scratching my back? Could you move a little bit to the left, I have this itch there…”

Mikasa finally couldn’t hold her tongue.

“Eren. Shut up.”

“Make me.”

With a shuffle of clothing, she appeared in front of him, frowning.

“What the hell do you want?”

“I want you to hit me.”

She held up the whip.

“I am hitting you.”

“I want you to hit me as hard as you can.”

Mikasa’s eyes immediately widened, the wariness easy to see.

“That’s dangerous, I can’t…”

He yawned, interrupting her.

“You done?”

“Eren…”

“Come on, what are you so scared of? Hit me!”

The conflict inside her was noticeable, the way her jaw tightened and loosened, the way her fingers played with the handle of the whip. Mikasa wanted to go hard on him, both for the shit he pulled and the bratty mouth, but hitting him as hard as she could? With this whip? But if he really wanted it….

“Fine. You want me to hit you as hard as I can?”

He nodded.

“As you wish then.”

Coming to stand behind him again, Mikasa pulled her arm back, working her wrist in small circles. If he wanted it so bad, then he can have it. 

“Ready?”

“Yup.”

“Here I come.”

The sound was earsplitting, a quick whoosh of the whip flying through the air ended with an audible crack as it connected with his back. It was a nice hit, beginning at right hip and going all the way up to the left shoulder. Seeing how he clenched his muscles against the pain, the whispered “Fuck.” that escaped him, Mikasa was very satisfied with herself for about five seconds. Then, Eren sagged in the bonds, and the line on his back started turning red. 

“Oh my god,”, Mikasa threw the whip away, rushing to the front, taking a hold of his pale face to see. Eren’s eyes were closed, and his breathing was swallow, as the pain must have been overwhelming. “Eren! Eren, you’re bleeding! Jesus, I’m so sorry, I didn’t want..”

He whispered something she didn’t quite catch, so she leaned forward, hoping that he will repeat it.

“Red…”

Safeword, he’s going to say a damn safeword when he’s bleeding from his back. As if Mikasa didn’t know that she had to stop. God damn it. Reaching up, she undid the cuffs, gently lowering Eren down to the floor. She didn’t know if moving him was a good idea, so after a few panicked thoughts Mikasa just knelt, putting his head on her lap, letting him rest there.

“Eren? Please say something…”

He swallowed, grimaced, rolled his shoulders a bit and winced immediately. Fuck, it hurt. 

“You’re bleeding on the floor.”, she noticed, the horror inside her creeping up. She should do something, right? “What can I do?”

“Give me a second.”, Eren finally spoke, getting his breathing under control. “It’s not that bad, just ripped skin. Blood is all right.”

“What should I do?”, she repeated.

“Need to clean the wound and bandage it. Don’t worry I’ll guide you.”

“No stitches?”

Even with the pain, Eren had to stifle a laugh when he imagined coming to the hospital for stitches on his back. Hey dude, how did it happen? Oh, you know, my girlfriend whipped me so hard that she cut through the skin. Anyway, how’s your day?

“Nah, no stitches.”

“I’ll go get the things then.”, as gently as humanly possible, she lowered his head down from her legs on the floor, standing up, “You’ll be okay here?”

“It’s really not that bad.”, braving through the sting, he offered her a smile, hoping to ease her worries a little bit, “I’m okay.”

But when she left, and he tried getting up, his body folded almost immediately, refusing to move. Not that bad, but not that good either. 

 

Mikasa was a quick student, cleaning and bandaging the cut very efficiently, following his guidance almost flawlessly. After her care, he was able to relocate to the bed, with her help, laying down with a sigh. Finally, Eren was feeling as tired as he should be, the shock and adrenaline dying down to the overwhelming need for sleep. 

“Again, I’m so sorry.”, Mikasa sat down next to him, playing with his hair, “I shouldn’t have done it.”

“And I shouldn’t have pushed you that hard. It was my fault too.”

“The dom is supposed to be in control…”

“But we weren’t really playing, were we?”

Mikasa sighed.

“Guess we both fucked up then.”

“Yea, but we found ourselves in that situation only because I did the dumb stuff at the hospital.”

“I just hope you finally realize just how terrible it would be for you if something serious happened.”, she looked down, voice shaky, “If he died because of you, Eren, it would have destroyed you. If you lost your license…”, eyes meeting his again, Eren realized that hers were wet, unshed tears in them, “You need this work, to help people, if you couldn’t do it anymore…. I don’t even know what we would do.”

Taken aback by the raw emotion in her voice, Eren could feel his cheeks burning. She was right. He needed this work, and today he came so damn close to losing it, just because he was dumb. A rude awakening, but a needed one.

“I know, and I promise I’ll change.”

They both fell silent for a time, with Mikasa dragging her fingers through his hair endlessly, lulling him to sleep. But before he let the darkness take him, a last thought struck him.

“Miki?”

“Hm?”

“I think I won’t take the days off now, but later.”

She frowned, confused.

“Why?”

“Because now I would have free time, but you are in a middle of your projects. And I prefer spending my free time with you.”

A flattering statement, one she rewarded with a kiss on the forehead.

“So, I’ve been thinking, how about I take my vacation when you are free too, and then we can be together. Sounds good?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”, another kiss, this time a feather light brush of the lips, “Now go to sleep.”

To appear at least a little bit rebellious, Eren rolled his eyes at the order.

“Yes mom.”

“What, should I tell Carla that you want me to take her place?”

“Erm… No?”

Mikasa arched an eyebrow down at him.

“You know what, I’ll just be silent. Night baby, I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Mouth right at his ear, the next whisper tickled him.

“My dear son.”


	66. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, if you don't want to read some hardcore smut, feel totally free to skip this one, I made sure that nothing important plot-wise happens here.  
> Totally self-indulgent (while also kind of filling a prompt???), way too long, you know the drill.  
> If you did decide to give this a go then I hope that you'll enjoy it. ;)
> 
> Title borrowed from AC/DC, but I guess y'all know that.

Stupid dreams. Dumb stupid dreams and the feelings they left inside her anytime she had them. Ever since childhood, sleeping brought her nothing but trouble. First the nightmares, stalking her through every rest and tormenting her with the tragedy of her childhood, and now, when after years she finally seemed to be getting them under control, not completely eliminating them mind you, this started happening. New dreams, new problems. Nowadays, Mikasa had other kind of night visions not letting her sleep.

They changed, night from night, but some variables remained the same, creating a pattern which wasn’t hard to follow. It was always dark, and she was naked and bound, the positions different every time. Sometimes she was on her back, sometimes face-down, hands behind her, sometimes she was tied to the bed instead. At the start, there was nothing, just her, listening to the silence, but then some unseen door opened, and a presence entered. Mikasa could never see who it was, as the face was just a mass of shadows, but deep down she had the feeling that she knew the man. He didn’t say anything, and neither did she, and after a minute or so of just watching her, the shape stepped forward and his hands descended on her body without uttering a word. The touch was cold, sending shivers down her spine, traveling lower and lower, until his fingers reached the apex of her thighs, invading her most private area. The shadow played with her, listening to her gasp and moan, not reacting in any way to the sounds she made. He didn’t care when she complained. He didn’t care when she cried. He simply acted. And after some time, Mikasa could feel the bed around her dip as he climbed on, spreading her legs with strong hands, and took her, forcefully, against her will, ignoring how much she begged him to stop. That was the point when she usually woke up. And the thing that scared her the most? It wasn’t the dream, the cold touch, or the rough way he entered her, it was the feelings she had when she woke up. It wasn’t fear, disgust, or any of the emotions that would be perfectly reasonable to have after a vision like that. For reasons unknown to her, Mikasa was always terribly aroused instead. 

After some research on the internet, she found out that this fetish, if it could be called one, wasn’t that terribly uncommon as she feared, many women seemed to be into this kind of thing. While that was all well and good, it didn’t solve the issue she had. How in the world was she supposed to break this thing to Eren? Would he even be willing to do it? Honestly, she was kind of afraid that she will scare him with this, so Mikasa kept her mouth shut, for now, trying to figure out the best way of formulating this quite unusual request.

“Miki, you okay?”

Oh shit, her daydreaming must have been too evident, because Eren was looking at her over the table with a clear question in his eyes, maybe even a bit of concern. Forcing a smile on her face, she picked the fork back up, digging into the salad with renewed vigor.

“Everything’s fine, I’m great.”, she gestured towards her food, hoping to distract him, “This is amazing by the way.”

But as usual, Eren’s emerald gaze seemed to pierce right through her deception tactic.

“C’mon, talk to me. Please?”, reaching over, he took hold of her hand, squeezing it gently, “What’s wrong?”

“I…Ugh.. Nothing, really.”

“Really? Because it’s not just this, it didn’t escape me how you act in the morning sometimes. How quickly you rush over to the bathroom to get a cold shower right after waking up, or how you avoid me for a few hours after. What’s happening?”

“I can’t… I can’t tell you, it’s weird.”, she shook her head, “Just drop it.”

He wouldn’t give up that easily.

“Miki…”, with a decisive move, Eren stood up, rounding the table and pulling her after himself, until they could sit down on the couch, facing each other. 

“Seriously, after the things we’ve done, why are you afraid of telling me something weird?”

His reasoning was too good, but Mikasa wasn’t ready to give up yet. Crossing her arms, she looked away from him, pouting slightly. Screw Eren and his mind-reading abilities. Fingers appeared under her chin, stroking the soft skin there, so nicely that It made her purr. Damn automated body responses. 

“You remember the cat ears?”

“Uhm… Yes?”

What does that have to do with anything?

“And do you remember how you had to press me before I told you how much I liked them?”

“Of course.”, that was funny, the way he squirmed when she pressed him against the wall, demanding to know why he acted like an asshole the whole night.

“See, this is totally the same situation. You have something you want to try, but you won’t tell me, cause you think that I will freak out or something.”, the stroking hand took hold of her chin instead, tilting it so she would look at him, “Baby, you fucked me in the ass multiple times at this point. There’s nothing that will make me think that you are weird.”

All right then, he asked for it. Taking a deep breath, Mikasa redirected her gaze back at her hands, not feeling like talking and being face to face with him right now. She was sure she’s going to blush herself to death.

“I want to do CNC with you.”

“What’s that?”

“Consensual non-consent… It’s…”, she finally did look up, despite the redness of her cheeks, wanting to see his reaction when she explains herself, “rape play basically. I want you to take me against my will, or more like, pretend to do that. Understand?”

This was exactly what she feared, the look that appeared in his eyes., like she just announced that she’s dropping her fighting career to pursue a newfound fascination in knitting. Right, time to make an exit now, when she can at least pretend to preserve some scraps of dignity.

“I told you, it’s stupid.”, Mikasa stood up, “Just forget about it and….”

Eren caught her hand, pulling her back to sit, shaking his head.

“Hey, easy, I’m just surprised a bit, that’s all.”, he let out a long exhale, apparently coming to terms with what she just said, “Give me a second.”

Once again not feeling particularly keen on having eye contact, Mikasa fidgeted with her fingers instead, waiting for him to sort out the thing she dropped. 

“Right, so…”, Eren cleared his throat, making her look back up, “how exactly do you want me to do it? I would really appreciate some pointers, because I never really thought about… you know… forcing myself on anyone.”

Oh yes, she could help him out with that. Mikasa spent some steamy hours fantasizing about what she would want this encounter to look like, so she had a number of ideas. And without further ado, they started spilling.

“I’d want you to ambush me, somehow, drag me to the bed, tie me up there..”, her imagination was running wild by now, wanting to tell him everything before this burst of courage wears down, which was bound to happen, sooner or later. “and I want you to have your way with me.”

“My way?”

“Yes, just... you know… fuck me. But not as you usually do.”

Eren laughed at this one.

“And I’m supposed to do it differently how? I’m sorry to disappoint you but I have only one penis.”

“That’s not what I mean.”, she threw him a frustrated look, “When we normally have sex, you always care about my pleasure too, usually even more than you do about your own. This time, I want you to only care about yourself, just use me as you wish, with no concerns about how I feel.”

“Okay…”, Eren was chewing on his bottom lip now, thinking, but he didn’t seem disgusted or anything. His face was curious. “Anything else?”

“Well, you could throw in some verbal abuse, degradation, stuff like that. Oh, and one last thing, but this one is not necessary.” 

He motioned for her to go on. Well, time to test her luck.

“I want you to drug me.”

Now Eren’s eyes were really popping out of his head.

“You want what?”

“Drug, sedate, something like that. Put some pills in my food so I can fight back as much as I can when you take me, but I won’t be able to win. Because I don’t really want to win there.”

“Miki, this is heavy, you understand that?”

“I do.”, she nodded, “Completely. And I’m sure that I want it.” 

She spent enough time thinking about it and weighing pros and cons to be certain.

“The only question is,”, she continued, “are you willing to do it? Be honest, please. I don’t want you to force yourself because of me. If you would be uncomfortable with this, I’ll drop it, I promise.”

Gears turning in his head, Eren stood up, walking back and forth a few times, before sitting back down, taking a breather.

“I am.”, he finally announced, and the two simple words made Mikasa’s pulse speed up. Was he really agreeing to it?

“But I have three conditions.”

“Sure, what are they?”

“First, I wont gag you during the play, so you can always safeword out.”

Sure, that would take away a little bit of the authenticity of a real thing, but she wasn’t surprised that Eren wanted her to have a way out. The thing she asked him to do was very, very intense, and it will be easy enough to get lost in it.

“Second,”, he went on, “the thing I drug you with, it can’t be anything strong. Just some muscle relaxant or something, but nothing to knock you out or make you high. And most importantly, if you feel uncomfortable with anything, and I mean anything, I will do, I want you to use the safeword immediately. Understand?”

That was okay. After all, she didn’t want to sleep through the play, she wanted to experience it all, lucid. Mikasa just didn’t want to feel strong during it, she wanted to be helpless, as in her dreams, and a bit of sedative should help her with that. Honestly speaking, she was still surprised that Eren agreed to that drugging point.

“Those are fine by me.”, she said out loud, “Anything else?”

“Just that I decide when we do the thing.”

“Sure, but how will I know?”

“Oh, don’t worry.”, an ominous smile appeared on his lips, “You will baby, you will.”

Even with Eren on board, Mikasa still felt the need to justify it for him, just a little bit more. It was her dream after all, and she secretly really hoped that it will be as hardcore as she wanted it to be.

“You can think of it as a late birthday present for me.”

“Right. That would make it the perfect porn title.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you know,”, Eren’s voice took a different tone, as if he was announcing something, “I tie my girlfriend up and give her the hardcore fuck for her birthday. Directed by Eren Yeager.”

“Good to know that you have it all figured out.”

“Perfectly. If everything else fails, we are taking the porn biz by storm!”

Despite the seriousness of their conversation, Mikasa could feel herself smiling.

“Can’t wait.”

 

It was rather easy to spot. Few days later, Eren brought her a cup of tea in the evening, and while that was nothing that out of ordinary, the way he handed it to her surely was. 

“You sure you want to drink it?”, he asked, slowly, to make sure that she understands what’s he saying.

Mikasa thought about it before, a long time really, and yes, she was sure. She wanted this. With a nod, she reached out, taking the cup from him. 

“I am.”

“All right then.”, Eren straightened, scratching the back of his head, “I need to go for my evening shift, so enjoy your tea.”

She watched him take his bag and leave, only turning in the door back towards her, eyes unreadable.

“You know I love you, right?”

“Of course, I do. Love you too. Stay safe.”

She only loved him more that he was willing to indulge even the darkest of her desires so readily. The door closed with a click, and Mikasa was alone. Lifting the cup to her lips, she took a sip, grimacing a bit at the bitter taste, most likely caused by the drug. With embers of excitement smoking in her stomach, she drank it all in one big gulp, putting the cup down. There, she took it, let the play begin. Now all she had to do was wait right? Anxiety, nervousness, a tiny bit of fear, it all mixed together, making her pace around the house wiggling her fingers when they started to feel numb. In the end, she decided to just go ahead and take a shower, both to kill time, and because for the things to come, it was better to be as clean as possible. Under the water, with the warm liquid spreading all over her skin, Mikasa could clearly feel the effects of the drug, weakening her muscles, forcing her to lean on the wall for a second to come to terms with it. Whatever Eren gave her, it wasn’t very strong, as her mind didn’t feel foggy at all, but her body was surely far from the peak performance. Finishing her bath as quickly as possible, she dried off, covering herself with the towel as she left the bathroom in search for some clothes. That’s when she was attacked. 

Strong hand wrapping around her neck from behind, the other around her waist, she was squeezed with a force that made the air leave her lungs. Instincts kicking in, Mikasa immediately started fighting against the hold, but to her horror realized one thing. She couldn’t break it. Whoever was holding her was rather strong, and with the drug in her system, she simply didn’t have the force necessary. That didn’t mean that she stopped trying however, still pulling with all her might, much to the amusement of her assailant. 

“Feisty are we?”, he whispered into her ear, voice muffled by something she couldn’t recognize. “That’s all right, I like my women wild.”

“Let me go you bastard!”, she screamed back, increasing her efforts.

“Nah, I don’t think I’ll do that.”

The hand around her throat increased the pressure, and Mikasa was soon running out of air with no way to replace it. The hold was merciless, choking her until she was on the verge of fainting, only then pulling back to let her cough and suck the blessed air into her lungs, all thoughts of fight leaving her. Her attacker took advantage of her state, quickly dragging her someplace, and Mikasa had no idea where they were going until he threw her on the bed, the soft material cushioning her fall. Dazed by the impact combined with the lack of oxygen, Mikasa felt mightily disoriented, reaching out to feel the bedding around her with unsteady fingers. The man didn’t seem to pay attention to her right now, rummaging through the wardrobe.

“Would you look at that, the ice princess seems to enjoy some after-hours fun.”, a muffled laughter, “I’d never guess that.”

Desperate to finally get a good look at who attacked her, Mikasa managed to sit up, even with her head spinning, and pushed the strands out of her face to see. A tall figure, dressed in blue medical scrubs, long hair tied to a ponytail. He was broad-shouldered, the exposed forearms well-muscled, and when he turned back towards her she finally saw the reason why the voice was so weird. A surgical mask was covering the lower part of his face, hiding it from view. 

“Who are you?”, she demanded, trying her best to prevent her voice from shaking in fear, “What do you want?”

The medic let out a dark laugh, coming closer to the bed and dumping whatever he collected on the floor before Mikasa could get a good look. His hands were also hidden, she realized, by latex gloves. He must have noticed her eyes on them, because he held a palm up for her to see.

“Wouldn’t want to leave any prints behind, would I. And for your questions.. you don’t seem to understand the game here sweetheart.”, he shook his head, “You don’t get to ask stuff. Now come here.”

As if. Moving as fast as she could Mikasa tried rolling down from the bed and towards the door, but he was faster. Hand wrapped around her ankle, and she was being pulled towards him, no matter how hard she clawed at the bed to stop him. Menacingly looming over her, he grabbed her arm and forcibly turned her over, pressing a knee to her back after to keep her in place. 

“Get off!”, Mikasa screamed, squirming underneath, but his hold on her was firm. Too firm to do anything. 

Leaning forward, the medic placed his mouth right next to her ear, hot breath washing over it as he spoke.

“Oh yes, keep fighting bitch. I’ll just enjoy it more when I break you.”

Shuffle of fabric later, Mikasa could feel the pull at her arms as he began putting something on her, shrugging it over her shoulders. Only when he flipped her over on her back, she realized what it was. The straitjacket. Whoever he was, he seemed to be quite experienced with this type of restraining tool, because her arms were useless and pulled to her stomach before the reality of what was happening fully entered her brain. Trying to fight against him, Mikasa kicked, getting some good hits into his thighs and torso, but all the attacker did was grunt, not slowing down in his efforts. 

“I’m glad that I drugged you before sweetheart.”, a very evil chuckle cut into her ears, “I can hardly feel those kicks now.”

Closing the buckles shut, pulling the garment tight over her, he tied her with methodic movements, straightening when he was done. Enjoying the view most likely. A quick pull proved what Mikasa feared. The black jacket was still completely foolproof, making both of her hands totally useless. In an attempt for revenge, she kicked him between the legs, or rather tried to, because once again he moved as fast as a snake and grabbed her foot instead. 

“Your kicks might be weak, but I should still do something about the legs. Right?”

“Go fuck yourself.”

“Oh no, that’s what I have you here for.”

Cuff tightening around her ankle, she did her best to kick it off, to no avail of course, while he worked in silence, only grunting when she tried really hard to pull her legs away from him. The second followed the first, and the stiffness afterwards confirmed Mikasa’s suspicions. That bastard just tied her to a spreader bar, forcing her legs apart. The cold reality of what was about to happen finally seemed to wash over her, and she started shaking, terrified.

“P-Please don’t do this. Just take what you want… I have money.”

He leaned forward, looking right into her eyes, green above the blue mask.

“If you think this is about cash, you haven’t been paying attention.”

Those emerald fires flicked downward from her face, as he seemed to notice her chest, uncovered since the jacket had a window there, squeezing the supple flesh roughly with his hands.

“Nice tits.”

The last embers of desperation in her caught fire, and she screamed in defiance, thrashing in her bonds, pulling with all her strength, but it was completely useless. It held. The gloved hand moved back from her chest to her throat, squeezing the air out of her, forcing her to calm as her vision darkened. 

“Sedated, but still so violent.”, he clicked his tongue, “Seems like I have to increase the dosage next time.”

“Please no. Don’t. I have a boyfriend.”, the tears of frustration appeared in the corners of her eyes, sliding down over the skin, “You can’t do this to me.”

“Do you? Well, too bad for the guy then.”

Fingers, sliding down over her stomach, past the tiny trimmed stripe of dark hair, between her legs, forced open by the bar. Cold tips traced up and down her slit, the latex freezing against the heated skin. Mikasa tried to shy away from the touch, to close her thighs, anything, but she was helpless, pinned down like a butterfly in a display case. 

“From where I’m standing,”, he whispered, so low and dark that it made her shiver, “It looks like I totally can do what I want with you.”, finger pressed into her, sliding in, “And I will.”

Screwing her eyes shut, tilting her head away, Mikasa pressed her lips tightly together, hoping that no sound will escape her, trying to take away as much of his fun as she could. To her credit, she did manage to hold most of them in, while his fingers moved in and out of her in a slow tempo. 

“All this talk about how much you don’t want this,”, a deep shove of his digits made her cry out, even through her efforts. “but you are still so fucking wet, aren’t you?”, a palm pressed against her clit, the move so familiar yet so wrong right now, “Fucking whore.”

“No.. No… Stop..”, tiny pleads Mikasa managed to push in between his movements, but all he did was ignore them, pulling out his fingers to bring them up right in front of her face.

“See?”, he asked, rolling the proof of her arousal between them, “You’re dripping.”

“No.”, she shook her head, as if the word could rewrite the reality that was glistening right before her eyes. The denial seemed to make him angry, because without further ado, he pulled his pants down, pressing his tip right against her entrance.

“I’m going to fuck you now.”, he gripped her hair, forcing her to look at him, the fire in his eyes threatening to burn her right here and there. “And you’ll take it, because you are a good little slut, aren’t you?” 

Maybe he had her beaten, tied up and at his mercy. Maybe he could take her body, do whatever he wanted to her, but he couldn’t take her mind. Not this easily. In the best show of defiance she could think of, Mikasa spat in his face. 

“Fuck you.”

Completely calm, he wiped the spit from his face. The slap that followed was powerful, making her ears ring, but that was far from the worst he did. Much more humiliating was the next move, as he pushed the bar up, above her shoulders, exposing her rear completely to him, and burried himself as deep inside her as he could, ripping a pathetic whine out of her throat. He semeed to love abusing the flexibility of her body. She couldn’t see his face, but Mikasa could almost imagine that satisfied fucking smirk that this show of weakness must have brought up. Determined to break her, just as he said he would, he began moving. It just felt too good, those deep thrusts, hitting all the right spots, the whines getting more and more frequent. Rough and uncaring for her, his hips picked up a pace, fucking her into the mattress. Hand tightened around her throat, as he started choking her again, most likely as a retaliation for the spit, always letting her breathe only when the stars started dancing behind her eyes. It was so good, so bad, terrible, perfect, wrong and right at the same time, it made her eyes roll back, legs shaking in the cuffs. And through it all, another decision cemented inside the tiny part of her brain that was not completely blown away right now. Mikasa wouldn’t come. She had no intention of giving him the satisfaction of seeing her come undone underneath him, against her will. Teeth pressing together, she focused on this goal, clutching to it with all her remaining mental might. Luckily for her, he didn’t bother with touching her clit, uncaring for her pleasure, so with a lot of effort, she managed to push the orgasm back, not giving in to it. It was still close. Just as Mikasa felt that her limits have been reached, he pulled out, breathing heavily. 

“Damn your pussy feels good. So tight and wet for me, even with all your defiance. That reminds me..”, with a grunt, he pulled her closer to the edge of the bed, going until her head was hanging freely, hair spilling down around it. “I do have better uses for your mouth than screaming “Stop please” at me.”

Face appeared right in front of her, as the invader crouched to be on level with her. 

“Now I know what you are probably thinking. Something like: If this bastard even tries to put his cock in my mouth, I’ll just bite it clear off. Did I get it right?”

Mikasa remained silent, because that was exactly what she was thinking.

“However, I would like you to consider something. You’re bound, I’m free, and I have all the time in the world to make you suffer. If I’ll feel even a hint of your teeth, I’ll just stop being nice.”, the terrified silence was the only reaction he needed, “And I’m going to hurt you, really, really bad.”

With eyes full of tears, Mikasa nodded, telling him that she understands. Satisfied, he patted her cheek.

“That’s a good girl.”

Straightening, hips pressing forward, she could feel the tip right at the seam of her lips.

“Open.”

With no other choice, she obeyed. As soon as he was in, he grabbed her hair for leverage, and began thrusting in, exactly as he liked. It was almost never like this. Even when she was with her boyfriend, Mikasa was usually in control of the act, dictating her own tempo and the things she was doing. But not now. Now, this guy was just straight up fucking her throat, using the angle to its full advantage. 

“Oh fuck… This is… Ah….”, really enjoying himself apparently, he seemed to be getting more and more lost in his activity, pushing deeper and making her gag. Hungry for more, his fingers closed on her nipples, pinching, the scream that the flare of pain produced realizing as a very pleasurable vibration around his shaft. This was so humiliating and degrading. She was crying in frustration again before she realized it, tears traveling upwards now that her head was hanging over the edge of the bed. And it went on and on, until Mikasa thought that she’s going to go crazy, mouth and throat really needing a break. Her tormentor only pulled out just as he was about to finish, blowing his load all over her face and exposed chest, groaning. 

“Fuck, your throat is just perfect. Feels as good as that thing between your legs.”

She didn’t want to answer him. Violated, coughing, on the edge, all Mikasa wanted to do right now was curl to a ball and cry, but her nightmare was not yet over. Collecting his bearings after a few deep breaths, the medic pulled her back to the middle of the bed, leaning over her after with an evil grin beneath the mask on his face.

“It’s time for your rectal exam miss Ackerman.”, he said, so sweetly, and flipped her over, face pressed against the mattress. That’s when she broke.

“Why? Why the fuck are you doing this? You son of a bitch!”, Mikasa screamed, pulling on the jacket again, creaking the leather, even when she knew that it was useless. She had to do something, just lying there and taking it wasn’t her way. “Let me go! You hear me? Get off and let me fucking go!”

“Why am I doing this? Well, I guess you earned the right to know.”

The bed dipped as he moved, grabbing something from the ground and throwing it on the bed, right next to her head. 

“You see what that is?”

Turning her head, she tried to get the best possible angle, which wasn’t much with her face right on the bed. From what she could see, it was one of the fashion magazines, with her on the front page, wearing an expensive looking leather jacket, leaning on a bike.

“This is when I first saw you.”, his voice was right in her ear again, “And from the first moment, I just knew that I had to have you.”, burying his nose in her hair, he took a deep breath, obscenely taking in her scent. “The ice queen. The tough biker chick. The professional fighter. Look at you now.”, gloved hand, cold on her skin, creeping up to squeeze her face between the strong fingers. “Underneath me. Tied up. At my mercy. Not so tough anymore, huh? So strong? No, this is the only thing you are good for. Taking my cock like a good whore.”

He pulled back, one hand coming to rest on her ass, the other staying at her neck, keeping her grounded. 

“So that’s why I’m doing this. From the first time I saw you, I knew that I had to break that cold expression on your face, to see you squirm beneath me, to fuck the perfect model in her tight ass. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Broken, openly crying, trying to move away from him, slip out of the iron hold, she shook her head and begged him to stop when he pressed three fingers into her mouth, ordering her to warm them up. Mikasa didn’t even have the strength anymore to try biting him.

“You will appreciate it yourself.”, he said with a chuckle. 

The cries for mercy only intensified when he did push those warmed up digits into her ass, or rather tried to. Determined to make his progress as difficult as possible, Mikasa clenched her muscles as much as she could, hoping to keep him out. 

“Damn, that’s some impressive strength.”, pulling out the one finger he managed to push in, her tormentor retrieved something again, lubing it up. “But as always, I am prepared for everything.”

Metal slid into her, so slippery that she couldn’t stop it. A circle that went in, preventing her from fully closing herself up, situation he gladly took advantage of, putting his fingers back to work, and in the same time pushing his dick right back between her lower lips. She couldn’t fight back. All her prodigious strength, her years of training, completely useless when she was tied up as she was. A knee at the back of her legs kept her from moving even a little bit, rendering her unable to shift her position. He was way too good, way too ready for her little rebellions, way too knowledgeable about her body, and how she fought, countering everything she did. With her safely secured, he fucked her, rough and hard, indulging himself. To her horror, it felt good, and unable to hold it back anymore, Mikasa moaned, again, and again, dirty, sinful, embarrassing sounds. When she tried muffling herself by biting the sheets, he grabbed her hair, pulling at it painfully, making her arch her back and put her head up, facing the ceiling. And just like that, she was exactly as he wanted her.

“What would your fans say?”, he growled, fingers working in and out, the glove squeaking,, the wet slaps of skin on skin audible, “Your friends at the modeling agency, your training partners, if they saw you like this? Huh? Their great hero, the champion, moaning like a slut when someone fingers her ass while fucking her.”, he laughed, “They are all wrong aren’t they. You aren’t a person to look up to. You’re just a cheap whore.”

It was too much. Too overwhelming. Too perfect. She was on the edge, so close yet so far, body straining but unable to finish. It seemed that he had no intentions of going further, and movements halting, he pulled out, breathing uneven same as hers. 

“Close to cumming, weren’t you? After all this crying about how much you don’t want this, fucking slut. More importantly though, how could you even think about finishing without my permission? Did I allow you to fucking finish bitch? Huh?” 

When she didn’t answer, he slapped her ass, again and again, making her scream, this time from the pain, squirming beneath him. But the sting was nothing compared to the utter humiliation and helplessness she felt. And still, the nightmare was not over. Fingers disappearing, the metal following soon after, as he deemed her prepared and broken enough, Mikasa could feel a different pressure against her rear, sliding in. 

“Now, do you remember what I said I was going to do earlier?”

He did to her exactly what he promised to do. He fucked her ass, hard, scattering all the pieces she just managed to pull back together again. 

“Such a perfectly tight hole,”, he growled right into her ear, “this is so good, too good even. You know what, I think that I will keep you.”, tempo increasing, his movements became rougher, pressing her into the mattress with every deep thrust, “I’m going to lock you in the basement, chained and leashed, and only come down when I get the taste for any piece of your body.”, he gripped her hair again, so hard that it made Mikasa cry out in pain, angling her head back so he could see her face and she could see his. The eyes above the surgical mask were feverish, burning. “You’ll live as my sex slave, only existing to serve your master in any way that he sees fit. You’d probably even like that, wouldn’t you?”

That was when he came, right inside her, groaning into her ear like an animal. Satisfied, the deed done, he finally allowed her backside to lower itself on the bed, letting her rest in her shame, completely and utterly destroyed. Lying in the puddle of her tears after, Mikasa could hear him shuffling around, pulling his pants back up, before a familiar snap of a camera invaded her ears. Rough hand on her shoulder, he rolled her on her back, and snapped a few more picture of her ruined face, covered in tears, drool, and the remnants of his first finish.

“Just one more thing before I let you go, oh stop crying, just one more favor. You can do it, come on.”, With sure hands, he undid her straitjacket, throwing it away after. Cold touch entering her again, it made her whimper, sensitive, while he was stroking her, two fingers in, palm against her swollen clit, building up the tightness in her stomach that was just slowly dying out after all the rough fucking without her getting an orgasm even once. Mikasa didn’t have the power to fight back, even with her hands free, simply lying there, sobbing quietly. As quickly as it appeared, the touch was gone, his voice back inside her ears. 

“I want you to finish yourself off. That’s right, sit up, touch yourself. Do it!”

Terrified by him, by the shouted order, Mikasa straightened, hand automatically flying between her legs, where she began stroking herself, slowly and with an unsure shaking touch, as her hands felt like water, both from fear and spending so much time tied. 

“That’s right, in and out, in and out. Add another finger, you can handle it. Play with your clit a bit, don’t be stupid. You know how to pleasure yourself, don’t play stupid with me.”

He pressed her on, murmuring those little encouragements, while the camera still snapped from time to time, taking pictures of her. Naked, with spreader bar between her legs, masturbating while crying. Must have been really the picture of mental health. It was so humiliating, touching herself because he ordered her too, with him standing right in front of her obscenely spread legs, watching. The ownership it displayed, the level of his mastery over her, it felt terrible. And it also turned her on so goddamn much. To make it even better, just as she was nearing her finish, he told her to stop, and when Mikasa disobeyed, desperate as she was, he caught her hand, pulling it out of her. The loud whine that tore from her mouth, full of desperation and need, downright shameful. 

“You won’t come unless I tell you to, understand?.”, he slapped her again, gripping her hair after to make Mikasa face him, “Understand!?”

“Y-Yes..”

She had no more energy to deny him, drained both mentally and physically, exhausted beyond her normal boundaries.

“Good. Then you’ll also understand that I won’t let you come unless you beg me for it.”, letting go of her hair, he straightened, resuming his position from before, “Seems like you calmed enough. Start again.”

She did, obeying, because there seemed to be no other way for her anymore. Mikasa tried hiding her pleasure this time, closing her eyes and tilting her head to cover her face with hair, but the fucking bastard caught it, and stopped her, right before the finish. Despite her wishes, he forced her to edge herself for him, torturing her abused body with her own fingers.

“Please… Please….”, the words appeared on their own, falling from her lips, accompanying the wet sounds her hand made. Mikasa had no pride anymore, no self-respect, those words lost their meaning. There was only the desire inside her, and the man who kept denying her, over and over again. The one who was still unmoved by her pleas.

“No.”

“I beg you, M-Master…”

“Beg me for what?”

She looked up, to see if he wasn’t joking, but there was no trace of amusement in his eyes. He just wanted her to say it all, spell it out for him, to prove that he really broke her. Spoiler alert, he did.

“Master, p-please, may I come?”

“Why would I let you, huh? Is it because you are my filthy whore?”

“Y-Yes.”

He shook his head.

“Say it.”

“I’m..”, she swallowed, forcing the words past her lips, “I’m your filthy whore, master, you own me.”

“That’s right, I do.”, very pleased with the results of his test, he smiled beneath the mask, “Time for your reward. Come for me.”

As if the words broke some barrier inside her, she came with a deep shove of her fingers, gasping, much to his amusement. 

“That’s a good slut, cumming on command. Now lick your fingers clean. And thank me for taking pity on you.”

Still shaking, cheeks burning red, she pulled her digits out with a wet sound, putting them into her mouth and licking her sticky finish from them. 

“T-Thank you s-sir.”

Grinning, he snapped a last picture, holding the phone up for her to see afterwards.

“Just a precaution, in case you would want to go to police or something.”, he wet his lips, leaning in to whisper into her ear. “The second you go talk to someone about this, those pictures will be all over the internet. And then everyone will know that you are nothing but a dirty slut. Don’t worry, I’ll visit you again, to snap some more. In fact, you can count on it”

With that, the door opened and closed, leaving her alone, dirty and shattered, completely exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Honestly speaking, Mikasa was on the verge of a total breakdown, and Eren must have sensed it, because he didn’t even bother with changing, just pulled down the mask from his face and stepped back into the room, sitting down next to her shaking body. She was a complete mess. Staring into the ceiling, jaw working silently, she didn’t even look at him when he came in, triggering the alarm lights in Eren’s head. Did he overdo it?

“Miki I…”

“Untie me.”, she interrupted him, voice cold, void of any emotion. Not sure how to respond, he obeyed, unclasping the leather buckles that held her legs tied to the spreader bar, dropping the metal on the floor after. Theoretically, she could have untied herself, but the fact that she didn’t spoke volumes about how bad she was emotionally right now. Still silent, Mikasa sat up, working her aching muscles, breathing heavily, trying to get it back under control.

“You okay?”, Eren asked, seeing that she still seemed far from normal.

She shook her head. Fuck.

“Does anything hurt? Do you need something? You want to go to the hospital? Should I call…”

She shook her head again, reaching out for him instead.

“Just hold me.”, she whispered weakly.

Immediately fulfilling that wish, Eren pulled her to his lap, wrapping her in a hug after, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. There were tears inside, fear that she needed to let out, now that everything was done. Out of nowhere, she began crying, clutching Eren a bit tighter, just to make sure that he’s really here, for her. She was shaking, hyperventilating, as if the reality of what happened finally hit her. Never, not even in her dreams, was the impact of the play this intense. Yet here she was, drenching Eren’s scrubs with her tears, just needing to let it out. Curling into a smaller ball in his lap, she did just that. Time passed. Mikasa was slowly but surely coming back to earth, while he just sat there, rubbing circles into the naked skin of her back. It felt good that he was touching her with his own hands again, not the gloves, so his touch was warm and pleasant. The tears finally drying up, Mikasa sniffed, looking up.

“Hey.”

She offered him a watery smile.

“Hi there.”

“What about now? Feeling better?”

“I think so..”, now that her most pressing need was over, she realized in what state she was. So dirty, it made her blush. “Can we take a bath?”

Not even bothering to answer, Eren stood up, picking her up, and carried her to the bathroom, for the necessary clean up. Mikasa didn’t let go of him the whole time, and now, minutes later, they sat in the tub with hot water around them, with her still planted firmly in his lap, face pressed into his neck. 

“Wanna talk now?”, he whispered down, watching her reaction. Eyes fluttering open, she looked up, nodding. She wasn’t completely okay, not yet, but she knew that Eren is most likely scared shitless that he’s overdone it. Which was logical, as she literally broke down in tears after the play was done.

“Was this what you wanted?”, he asked, still uncertain.

“Yes. This was what I needed. It was great.”

“You sure? Because you did seem pretty bad, with all the crying and stuff…” he scratched his neck, embarrassed.

“It’s all right really. I had my safeword, remember? Didn’t use it.”, she shrugged, “I just got into the mindset, really deep, that’s why I cried. I was genuinely scared of you.”, Mikasa smiled, “Especially the threat that you’re gonna hurt me really bad.”

“Oh yea, I still have no idea why I even said. I mean, I had some things prepared, stuff I wanted to do, but most of the time I simply went with what felt right at the moment. I got really into it, maybe even little bit too much. I mean, you know I’d never hurt you. And the thing with me being your stalker, I hadn’t even planned that until I saw the magazine on the table.”

“You always were a great actor.”, she giggled, feeling him press a playful kiss to the top of her head, “But it was the same for me. I really felt violated… you know, terrified. I knew that it’s you, in the back of my head, but I just kinda pushed it out, hid it.”

Just the memories of what happened half and hour ago still made her shiver. The cold touch, the demanding voice, the way he touched her even with her crying and begging for him to stop. Intoxicating. But replaying the events brought back one question, one she really wanted to have answered.

“Eren?”, he hummed, signaling that he’s listening, “What did you drug me with?”

A grin spread his lips.

“Nothing.”

“Uhm.. What? But I felt it! My limbs were so weak, I couldn’t fight back when you grabbed me and….”

“It was all you, baby. You expected to get drugged, so your body did it to itself. I didn’t sedate you.”

“But… but… the tea! It tasted bitter.”

“Just too much lime, intentionally added, so you would get the stimulation. That’s it, the rest was just a placebo effect.”

“Well, now I feel stupid.”

He smiled, dragging his fingers through her hair. 

“Don’t. Couldn’t see it coming.”

“What about the pictures you took?”, she remembered suddenly, “What are those for.”

“You just looked so ruined back then, I had to take a reminder for later. We can look at them after, and I’ll delete them if you want. Sounds good?”

“Okay…”

Not that she would admit it, but Mikasa was rather curious to see just how she looked back then. They sat in silence for a few minutes, until she couldn’t handle it anymore, wanting to know how he felt about what they just did as a whole.

“So how would you rate it? Now that we are done with it.”

Eren’s eyebrow pulled together, as he figured out what he wanted to say, hand not stopping in the caressing of her head. 

“It was pretty good, intense, maybe too intense.”

“I feel the same. But it was a dream come true for me.”, tilting her head up, she kissed him, soft and loving, in contrast to all the brutality that was done to her over the course of the evening. 

“Thank you.”

“Of course, Miki. You want some rough sex, then I’m just the guy.”

She started giggling, for no real reason, while Eren squeezed her tighter in his arms, peppering tiny kisses all over her face. And everything was all right again.

 

“Jesus, I look terrible here!”

“You think so?”, Eren peered over her shoulder, casting an inspecting eye over the photo. It was one of the later ones, with her riding out her orgasm on her own fingers, eyes rolled back, mouth open, drooling all over herself. In his humble opinion, it was hot as hell.

“I have to tell you that I quite like it.”, he informed her, all smug, “Maybe I should set it as my new wallpaper.”

She gasped.

“You wouldn’t!”

“Of course not.”, a grin, “But it’s fun to tease you.”

“We really got into it, huh?”

Flipping through the photos, Mikasa wasn’t sure just how the hell did they manage to do all this in all seriousness. She was completely wrecked in some of the pictures, a side of herself she couldn’t even imagine showing anyone else but Eren. 

“Yeah…”, the hand that was rubbing circles into her shoulder stopped for a moment, as Eren tapped it to get her to look at him. “Now that the hormones had a chance to calm down, do you regret it?” 

It was a horrifying experience. Mikasa was terrified at some points, abused, violated, taken advantage of. Hell, it was so much better than any of her dreams, scratching the itch she had just perfectly. 

“No.”, she shook her head, making Eren smile, “I loved it.”

“Sexual deviant.”

“You’re the one to talk.”, she poked him, “Mr. Blackmail.”

“I was just covering my bases, you never know.”, he rolled his eyes, dramatically, “Women change their mind all the time.”

She tackled him for that, and they rolled around on the bed for a time before she ended up on top of him, smirking victoriously. 

“So, Eren,”, she started, tracing his collarbones with the tips of her fingers, “Would you be willing to do this again? Sometime in the future?”, Mikasa grimaced a bit, “Not anytime soon mind you, this thing…. It’s great, but I don’t want to do it very often.”

“Then we are on the same page.”, taking hold of the finger that she touched him with, he gently bit into the pad, making her gasp and frown down at him and his toothy smile.

“Till next time then, Mr. Yeager.”

“Oh, but it wasn’t me before.”, he leaned closer, voice dropping to secretive whisper, “It was my evil twin, Mr. Incognito. He’s kind of a dick.”

Mikasa’s laughter was probably Eren’s most favorite sound in the whole world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll get to plot next time, i promise.
> 
> Maybe


	67. Crossroads

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 115 was pretty fun, despite all the shitstorms around it  
> Just wait for full release next time guys ;)

The building in front of her was small, squat, and ugly, in short everything a girl of Annie’s age didn’t like. She turned towards her father with a pout, clearly disappointed with what he was presenting to her.

“Daddy,”, she whined, “I thought we are going to the dance school! You promised!”

“And we will.”, with a sigh, her father went down to one knee to be on level with her, despite his protesting leg, “I just thought that we could check out this place first.”

But the building was still the same, even on second glance, and Annie shook her head, the blonde pigtails flying around her face.

“I don’t want to go in, it’s ugly.”

“You can meet so many great people inside Annie, I bet that you will make so many good new friends!”

“This is the gym you told me about.”, it was hard to see the bright side of kickboxing as a young woman, even with the gentle but firm pressure from her father’s side, “I don’t want to hit people.”

“It’s not about hitting people, its just a sport Annie, and…”

But his daughter’s eyes were already downcast, as she was watching a rock she kicked bounce alongside the path. 

“You’re not going to try it? Not even for your daddy?”

She still wouldn’t look at him.

“Well all right then, I just thought that you want to make me happy.”

Slowly, trying to avoid putting any pressure on his bad leg, he straightened, turning away from the building he imagined his daughter’s future in. 

“Guess I was wrong then. Let’s go…”

A pull on his trousers stopped him and looking down in search of the cause he discovered that it was nothing else but Annie’s tiny hand, having a firm hold on the fabric.

“Would it really make you happy?”, she asked, still watching the ground.

“It would, very much so. And we can get ice cream after.”

Annie didn’t want to go in. She didn’t want to become a fighter, back then, to exercise only to beat on someone else in the ring. What she did want however was pleasing her father, who seemed so exhausted by the weight of the world, who was her only parent, and always took care of her. So, with a deep breath, she gave in to him. As always.

“Okay daddy, let’s go.”, she forced a smile on her face, “I’m sure I’ll like it more from the inside.”

 

Years later now, Annie was standing on the same sidewalk, watching the same building, but the feelings inside here were quite different. It was hard being angry at her father, because he wasn’t a bad person, far from it, and he always did mean well for her. He never forced her to do anything, just nudged her along, gently, but the choices she made were her own. Affected by him, yes, but not guided blindly. The last few days she spent mostly by thinking, while watching Reiner and Berthold work out, sorting stuff out in her head, but Annie was still far from reaching a solid decision. What to do now? What was her future? America was still there, she could go back, theoretically, start over, go again. But backtracking was a thing Annie disliked. Move forward then. But where? Shrugging, Annie bowed her head and walked inside, just like all those years back. This time, no one was holding her hand. 

There were familiar sounds coming from the main room, indicating that her friends were currently going hard at the machines, but she had no intention of joining them, as her mood was more of a thinking one than acting one. Up the ladder, Annie climbed on the roof, taking a seat and watching over the city, burrowing a bit deeper into her jacket against the cold. The hatch behind her rattled, opened, letting in a huge form that wasn’t hard to identify. Seems like Reiner’s workout was done faster than she expected.

“How are you doing Lioness?”, coming closer, he sat down next to her, stretching out his long legs, “Everything okay?”

“Hanging there.”

“That’s good, that’s good.”

Falling silent, Reiner just sat next to her for a moment, joining her in the thinking corner. 

“So.”, he started after a while, “Have you been thinking about…”

“My future? Yea, kind of.”

“And?”

She sighed.

“I don’t know Reiner, I have a lot on my mind right now. I’ve been thinking that I might even drop the fighting altogether.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Because it was never my idea in the first place!”, it was hard to keep the bitterness out of her voice, “I wanted to do a fucking ballet back then, I wanted to dance! And look how ended up. I wasted…”

“Wasted? Do you think that all those years we trained together as wasted?”

“I… I didn’t mean it like that… I’m sorry.”

“Look Annie,”, turning his big frame towards her, Reiner looked into Annie’s eyes with intensity she wasn’t used to seeing in him, “I get that you are upset, but stop judging everything so harshly. Maybe you were guided into this life by your father, I accept that, but it was not all for nothing. You accomplished things, great ones, and there’s even more in your future for you!”

“Well sure, if I keep following in my daddy’s footsteps that is.”

“You’re demonizing your old man for no reason. You liked it here, you liked training with us, and you loved being in the ring, pushed to your limits by a skilled opponent.”

“But..”

“But what? Okay, I get it, if things have gone different in your past, you probably wouldn’t be here. Maybe you would a dancer, hell if I know, maybe you would be as great at it as you are at fighting, maybe not. I get that. But you need to realize something. Those things you did, those achievements, those are not your father’s, they are yours and yours alone. And yes, you can throw them away, but doing so would be petty, and stupid in my opinion.”

“You really are the best emotional support speaker aren’t you Reiner.”

“I didn’t come here to make your decisions for you, that’s your job.”

Annie sniffed, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. It was really cold, especially here on the roof, exposed to the elements.

“Why do you even care?”

“Because you were always the best of us, always. You had a fire in you, Annie, burning so brightly, and it fueled you to such great results.”, Reiner’s frame sagged, voice dropping into almost a whisper, “I just hate to see it extinguished.”

Their eyes met, and Annie could see the devotion in his gaze, proof that whatever he was saying, he meant those words from the bottom of his heart. Looking away, the big man rolled his shoulders, getting the post-workout stiffness out before speaking again. 

“I have an offer for you?”

“An offer?”

Reiner grinned, and for a moment he looked exactly as she remembered him. Tall, imposing, but with that friendly smile that made him look like an oversized teddy bear. 

“Ever heard of the coliseum in Vegas?”

She shook her head.

“It’s a big event, used to be mostly wrestling, but this year its different.”, he explained, “In short, everyone can enter, using any style you want, as long as you manage to defeat your opponent, anything goes.”

“Sounds messy.”

“Exactly! That’s why I’m entering.”, he stood up, towering over her, “And of course the small prize of million dollars, that’s cool too.”

That got her attention, head whipping up to look him in the face. Yet Reiner didn’t appear to be joking.

“A million dollars?”

“Yup, ours to grab. All we have to do is win that thing.”, moving past her, he got back on the ladder, only pausing to add a few words, “It’s still months away, so take your time with deciding. But if you do want to come with me and make your mark on the history….. You know where to find me Annie.”

The hatch clicked, separating the two, and Annie was once again left alone to stare at the city beneath her. The past, the present, the future. It all came down to what she wanted in the end, huh? With a sigh, she stood up, following Reiner down the ladder and into the gym. Annie had an important decision to make.

 

The door slammed behind Sasha as she wheeled herself outside of the building, silently fuming. Niccolo, following right behind, at least had the decency to close normally, muttering an apology, but the inhabitants were most likely too high to even notice. 

“You seem upset.”, he commented, coming to stand next to her wheelchair, looking down at her angry visage.

“Upset?! Upset? Nah Nico, I don’t think upset is really a good word to describe how I feel.”

“You got a better one?”

The bar was almost finished, which meant new obligations for her. Her relationship was falling apart. There were hundred and one things to do, but here she was, once again trying to catch the child thief. No, she wasn’t upset, she was far beyond that. 

“Sure! I’m fucking pissed, friend, pissed off.”

“Right.”, a chuckle, “Guess I don’t even have to ask why, do I?”

“Well I think its pretty obvious. We are running in fucking circles, over and over again, visiting more and more of your “friends” just to get the exact same response from each and every single one. Nothing! No one saw her, no one even heard of her, hell, according to those people, Gabi might not even exist!”

“I never said that finding her would be easy. These visits are always going to be a hit or miss.”

“No, but you also never said that it would be fucking impossible. Hit or miss? I guess we never hit, huh? Your grand plan of paying to the crack house guards didn’t really work either, did it. They probably just took the money and forgot all about you.”

Niccolo angled his head to the side, chewing his bottom lip.

“It’s possible.”, he admitted.

Sasha threw her arms in the air, and wheeled herself a few meters forward, only to realize that she had no idea where to go next. Dropping her head to her hands, she sighed, really feeling like at the end of her wits.

“It’s been weeks….”

“Hey, don’t give up yet Sash.”, Niccolo followed her at a leisurely pace, patting the pockets of his jacket in search of a cigarette. “There are some other sources I know, we can…”

“How?”, she asked, the sound muffled as it came from behind her palms. “How do you know them?”

“I told you, I grew up around people like that.”

“Not good enough.”, Sasha turned to face him, the hopelessness in her features replaced by desire to know more, “I’ve been following you for some time now, watching you interact with the dealers, the prostitutes, the pimps. You know your way around this world. And I want to know why.”

Finally finding what he was looking for, Niccolo jammed a cigarette in between his lips, lighting it up afterwards. He took a deep pull, staring at the sky.

“You really want to hear my sob story that much, huh?”

“Please.”

“All right, I guess I know you long enough to tell you.”, he took another pull, “I told you that my dad came to America from Italy, right? Well, as it turned out, the land of opportunities wasn’t such a golden dream as he imagined it to be. He found mom, but after that, his life took a downhill slide, and he couldn’t handle it. The answer was drinking.”, Niccolo released the smoke from his lungs, watching it curl in the air in front of him. “Dad became a drunk, abusive one at that, and began beating mom as if she was the cause of his failures. In answer to that, mom discovered that his fists don’t hurt as much when her veins are full of heroin. With father either drunk or gone and mom too high to care, I was left to fend for myself.”, without thinking, Niccolo reached down, offering the cigarette to Sasha, who took it mindlessly, taking a pull of her own, “You want to know how I can move in this world? I grew up in it. I roamed the streets, learned the ways of drug dealing, prostitution, been in a few gangs even. After a few years, dad drunk himself to death, but it was a good thing, because that event seemed to wake mom up, and she went into rehab. She’s still there to this day. I do try to visit her when I have the time.”, taking the remnants of the roll from Sasha’s numb fingers, he smiled down at her. “And that’s it, that’s the whole story.”

“That’s… uhm…”, a bit out of the words to say, she shook her head, still half in disbelief, “Heavy stuff. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I got over it.”

“Still, must have been hard.”

“It was.”, he nodded, “But I managed. I’m here now, aren’t I?”

“So you are.”, Sasha returned his smile, “And I’m thankful for it.”

“Yeah well…”, a bit flustered, Niccolo looked away, rubbing the back of his neck, “We didn’t come here to exchange life stories, but to find your girl. As I was saying before, since we had no luck on this level, we have to go deeper.”

“Deeper how?”

“Deeper into the belly of the beast, as they say. We barely scraped the bottom of the society, there’s still a long way to go.”

“As long as I’m with you, I’m not afraid.”

He chuckled.

“While that’s really flattering and stuff, I’d lie if I said that I’m feeling comfortable around those guys. This is the type of guys that make other people disappear, it could get ugly, Sasha, I need you to understand that. Do you really want to go on?”

The answer to that question was clear in Sasha mind. She was, no, they were in it for real. 

“I can’t give up now Nico. Not when we got this far.”

Nodding, he threw the remnants of the cigarette on the ground, stomping it out.

“Let’s go then.”

And together, they disappeared into the night.


	68. Get Ready For The Next Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo i just noticed that next chapter is number 69, i ain't gonna pass that opportunity up.  
> I'm so going to unleash the depths of my depravity.  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> im 12 btw  
> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

“C’mon baby, one more set, you can do it!”

Motivated by his beautiful personal cheerleader, Eren mobilized his remaining strength, pushing with all his might to finish the last few crutches, but his muscles were completely exhausted, and with a groan he let go, falling back on the bench. 

“I can’t.. I can’t…”, rolling off the pad, Eren stood up on his slightly trembling legs, bending over to gulp in air. Damn he was beat. Behind him, Mikasa took his place, effortlessly beginning another set of her perfectly fluid movements, her rhythmic breathing suggesting that she was still far from her limits. Sitting down on the machine next to hers, Eren watched her, not completely understanding where the hell she took the energy from. His stomach hurt just from watching her, but Mikasa showed no signs of slowing down, finishing the set and taking a quick breather before the next one. 

“You okay? Hope I didn’t exhaust you too much.”, she asked, a tiny hint of mockery in her voice, making Eren frown at her. Today’s workout was kinda insane, and Eren couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t her way of paying him back for the play from few days back, her way of showing that while she’s perfectly fine with submitting to him in the bedroom, in terms of physical abilities Mikasa’s still far superior to him. Then again, if she felt the need to assure herself of her skills, Eren was more than okay with that. The playtimes were totally worth having his ass handed to him at the gym. 

“You know, not everyone has a set of pistons in their midriff.”

She arched an eyebrow at him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”, pushing himself up, Eren loomed above her, running his palm over the defined ridges of her stomach, revealed by the cropped top she usually wore for her workouts. Even after all these years, it still fascinated him, the way he could feel the shape of every single one under his fingers, and it was needless to say that Eren certainly approved her choice of gym attire. “Pretty sure that your abs have their own abs at this point.”

“That’s not how muscles work, Doctor.”

Not feeling like arguing with her, Eren decided on a surprise attack instead, pressing a kiss to her midriff instead. The hitched breath he heard was just what he was looking for. 

“You were saying?”

Rolling away from him, half because this part of her workout was done, half because she wanted to hide her giggle, Mikasa stood up, stretching. Her eyes looked all around the gym, before finally settling on her boyfriend, squatting on the floor. She came closer, smoothing a few strands of hair that escaped his bun from Eren’s face, lazily smiling down at him. 

“How are your energy reserves?”

Standing up to mirror her, he was the taller one now, very much enjoying the illusion of power it gave him. 

“Is that a challenge?”

“Maaaybeee..”, she drew the word out, dragging a singular finger down his jaw. Such a simple touch, yet it managed to make his pulse race. Her arms sneaked around Eren’s neck, and Mikasa’s lips, now dangerously close to his ear, caressed the skin there as she spoke. “I want you to….”

Eren was completely immersed in her little game now, ignoring that they were still in the gym, with people around, and Levi just a few meters away, sitting in his office. Those facts simply flew away from his head, replaced by the way her body felt, pressed against his, firm but soft in the right places, how silky her porcelain skin was under the tips of his fingers. Few words, the right touch, and Mikasa had him completely under her spell, and he was more than ready to go along with any crazy plan she was about to whisper to him. 

“…fight me.”, she finished, slipping out of his hug and walking towards the ring, leaving him slightly confused and sporting a very unfortunate hard-on. Ah well, seems like the fun must wait, he thought to himself, following her, mentally doing his best to divert the blood from the crotch area. When he finally caught up, Mikasa was already preparing herself, punching the air, doing quicksteps, the routine that Eren knew intimately, but it still made him wonder just how fast the woman can move. 

“I won’t go easy on you.”, Eren did try to sound tough, but judging from Mikasa’s smug smile, she wasn’t very intimidated. 

“Give it your best.”

Nodding at him, she took her fighting stance, and Eren followed suit, steeling himself. They were both tired from the complete workout, so technically, he had a better chance than usual, but still. Mikasa was Mikasa. Well, time to prove himself. Knowing that he has no chance if he lets her keep the distance, Eren danced to the left, blocking few or Mikasa’s testing punches, looking for a chance, an opening. Ducking under a blow, he spotted one, charging forward and grabbing her waist, making them both fall on the ground together, tangled in a heap. With some luck, Eren managed to come out on top, using his weight to pin her down.

“I’ve got you now.”, he growled, making Mikasa stop in her efforts and look at him, arching an eyebrow.

“Do you now?”

Her body suddenly twisted in his grasp, like a snake, pulling him down with strength that he had no chance of resisting. With a defeated groan, Eren folded, and they switched positions, with Mikasa now triumphantly looming over him, knees pressing into his arms, keeping them grounded, while his face was caged in from both sides by her thighs. The position even allowed her to keep her own arms crossed over her chest, giving the position quite a dominant feeling. 

“You were saying?”, she repeated his words from a few minutes ago, apparently very satisfied with herself. When Eren didn’t reply, frowning up at her, she giggled, reaching down to boop his nose. 

“This is the part where you surrender, puppy.”, she informed him after.

But Eren shook his head.

“Nope.”

“Baby,”, she increased the pressure for a short time, signifying how helpless he was right now. “you lost. Surrender.”

“Nah.”

“Eren….”

“Maybe I’ll just stay here, the view is pretty great.”

“So what, you’ll just be under me for the rest of your life?”

“There are much worse ways to go than being choked to death by the legs of a beautiful woman.”

Lacking the words or appropriate reaction to answer that, Mikasa gave up, shuffling back until she was straddling his waist instead, gesturing for Eren to sit up. And he did, massaging his neck, because even with all the strong talk on his part, Mikasa thighs had quite a grip.

“Not going to fulfill my wish then?”

“Can’t do that, I’d miss you too much.”

“Hmm, I suppose I should thank you for your mercy.”

She nodded.

“That would be appropriate.”

Deciding on a non-verbal approach, Eren kissed her, and judging from the way she returned his affection it was the right move. The simple touch of lips soon spiraled into something way more feral, as fighting together always got their blood pumping, and it would hardly be the first time that their workout would end up in a more…. intimate physical activity. Angling her head, licking into his mouth, Mikasa seemed more than happy with how their evening was progressing, but before anything could really happen, another voice cut into their moment.

“Look, I’m not a professional anymore, but I’m kinda sure that this is not how a fight is supposed to look like.”

Hearing Levi’s voice while having his hands around Mikasa triggered Eren’s flight instincts, but with her weight still comfortably sitting in his lap, he couldn’t do much. On her part, Mikasa didn’t even try to stand up, looking over her boyfriend’s shoulder at her brother, who regarded them with a partly disgusted face.

“Levi, you need something?”

“First of all, I’d really appreciate if you didn’t start fucking in the middle of my gym.”, that statement made Eren blush, but Mikasa didn’t seem to care much, shrugging. 

“Cool. Something else?”

“Your friend called, Jean, said that you talked about some advertisement? Internet or some shit, couldn’t really understand what he was saying.”

“Oh yeah,”, with Eren still under her, slowly accepting his role as a chair, Mikasa scratched the back of her neck, recalling the details of her conversation with Jean, “he said that he can set us up a profile on Instagram or Facebook, get us rolling. I think it’s worth giving it a shot, but you should be the one with the final decision on this matter.”

“How nice of you, letting me decide about my own gym.”

“Yup, I’m just that amazing.”

“All right, fine, I’ll set a meeting with the guy. Good thinking brat.”

Turning, seemingly ready to go back to his own business, Levi took a few steps before stopping himself and turning back to face her.

“Uhm… For this promotion thing, we’ll probably need to snap some pictures, right?”

“Obviously.”

Anyone could take those, but now that her brother mentioned it, Mikasa got an idea. She was spending a lot of her time working with a full set of professionals lately, wasn’t she?

“I could ask someone from Dot’s crew to cover us, if you want.”, she offered, but to her surprise, Levi shook his head.

“I already got someone in mind.”

“Do I know him?”, she asked, but all he did was look away and mutter something she couldn’t catch.

“Or her?”, she tried again, this time making her brother blush very slightly.

Opting not to answer, Levi started moving again, walking away at a brisk pace. With him disappearing back into his office, Mikasa redirected her attention back to Eren, smiling.

“Now where were we?”

But when she moved in for the kiss, Eren leaned backwards, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry Miki, but I’m not sure I can continue with Levi right behind my back.”, risking a quick look towards the office, he sighed, “Dude still scares me sometimes.”

A minor setback, one Mikasa decided she would overcome, no matter what. Levi wouldn’t cockblock her, well, Eren technically, she had no intention of letting him come between her and her pleasure. The days of her big brother banging on the door of her room, asking what the hell is going on were over. To be honest, it happened only once, and she and Eren were way too loud back then, but the point remained. Standing up, she pulled Eren upright, not letting go of his hand as she began walking in the direction of the changing room.

“Where are we going?”, her victim wondered, stumbling after her, as the tempo she set was rather a swift one.

“I need a shower.”, Mikasa stated, not even looking back to see Eren’s reaction. She was rather sure that it would be a happy one. “And I was wondering if you would be so kind as to wash my back?”

If there was one place Levi surely won’t bother them, it was the bathroom. So, leaning forward, Eren whispered his reply into her ear.

“Lead the way.”

 

The water was cold, but Mikasa’s body was warm, pressed against his, more than making up for it. Her hands were tangled in his hair, which was finally left hanging free, same as hers, the workout bun and ponytail removed. His own fingers were on a mission, traveling over her chiseled back, down the perfect curve of her spine, and finally reaching that bountiful land of her ass, where he could really dig his fingers in and… She hissed in pain, recoiling from his touch, which in turn made him stop immediately.

“Miki? What’s wrong? Did I do something?”

“No, it’s all right, just…”, she looked up, an uneasy expression on her face, “Don’t grope it that much, not yet.”

Curious, he leaned forward, following the path he made with his hands with eyes instead, wanting to see how he caused the discomfort. The bruises on her backside surprised him, the hand-shaped mark on the left cheek especially, but it wasn’t that hard to do a quick memory jog and discover the cause. 

“Did I do that?”, he asked, although he of course already knew the answer.

Mikasa rolled her eyes at him.

“No, of course not. It was Mr. Incognito.”

“Right. The bastard, he can’t keep getting away with this.”

But while talking was all fun and stuff, there were other things she came here to do, so Mikasa tapped Eren’s chest, redirecting his attention back from her rear to her face.

“Back to work, soldier. And easy on the ass, that’s an order.”

“Yes ma’am.”

 

It still felt unreal sometimes, having the dream they worked on for so long actually finished, solid, a thing you could touch with your hands. It was like yesterday, when Sasha barged into his house, presenting her grand idea to him, but here they stood, all of them, the big circle of his friends that made the dream come true. Running his palms over the smooth wooden surface of the counter, Armin made his way into the main room, where everyone was gathered, waiting for… well, something, because judging from the looks on their faces, they didn’t seem to comprehend the situation either. 

“It’s done then?”, Carla voiced everyone’s unspoken question, getting Armin’s attention. But before he could answer, the door opened and Sasha appeared, smiling radiantly, while Connie walked in behind her with his usual stoic expression.

“Yes it is! As of today, our bar is finally….”, she stopped in the middle of the room, throwing her hands above her head in celebration, “finished!”

When no one reacted, as the group simply exchanged looks, save for Eren who pulled Mikasa closer with the hand he had coiled around her waist, and whispered something in her ear, grinning. She giggled, and swatted his shoulder playfully, but that was hardly the approval Sasha was looking for. 

“This is the part where you clap.”, she informed everyone in the room, frowning.

Round of applause later, started by Armin, Sasha finally smiled, gesturing for the group to calm down.

“Now, since we are all gathered here, I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks. We would have never done it if it wasn’t for you.”

“Where our money?”, someone called, jokingly, making everyone laugh. 

“Your long hours without any compensation have come to an end however,”, Sasha continued, “as with the bar finished, me, Connie and Armin, the triumvirate of owners, have decided that it’s time to reward you all. Before we officially open, there will be a day, only for us, and we will do something special together.”

She took a small break, to heighten the anticipation.

“A tournament!”

“…. In what?”, asked Jean, confused just like the rest of them.

“Tekken! The fighting game everyone enjoys.”

Now everyone might have been a bit of a stretch, because while Eren, Mikasa and Jean looked very happy with the choice, others were not exactly ecstatic. It kind of made sense, as the tournament was Eren’s idea in the first place, and he supplied both the console and the game.

“You can count me out.”, Levi shook his head, “I don’t play games.”

“Pussy.”, murmured Hange next to him, but he decided not to react to such cheap provocations.

“I won’t play either.”, Carla chimed in, “But I’ll watch for sure.”

“Oh c’mon guys, it will be fun!”, feeling the need to lift spirits, Connie stepped forward, “I don’t really do stuff like that either, but I’m willing to give it a go. The evening won’t be just that, you can drink, sing karaoke, play darts or pool, whatever you want. Just think of it as a test drive for everything, to see if it works.”

A bit of ruckus later, everyone, save for Levi, seemed to come to terms that it was happening, and the overall mood improved. Hange was furiously abusing the screen of her phone, apparently deep in her research already. Connie, the master of manipulating public opinion.

“We’re gonna give everyone a week while we hammer out the tiniest details left, and you guys better go and start practicing.”, he pointed at the happy gamer trio, “You don’t want to lose to these dorks do you.”

“You’re so going down.”, Eren whispered to Mikasa’s ear, smirking.

“Just like at the gym?”, she teased back, watching in satisfaction as his ears turned a tiny bit red, the memories of the fight and especially what followed coming back.

“One last thing….”, Connie raised his voice to get everyone’s attention back, “If you want to bring someone, anyone, do it, because we need to be ready for a full house. That’s all.”

Sitting on a table, Armin rubbed his chin, thinking. He did know someone who could come, but would she?

 

“Doc, before we start, I have a question.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“There’s another thing going down at the bar, the one I partially own. We have a small celebratory party, before opening, and I was thinking…. Would you come?”

“Well this feels like a déjà vu. Didn’t you ask me the same thing before Halloween?”, Hitch pointed out, watching Armin shrug.

“I did. But you enjoyed the thing, didn’t you?”

Oh yes, very much so. And she connected with Jean at the party, that was a nice bonus.

“You know what? Fine, I’ll come. I don’t have to dress as anything this time though, do I?”

“No,”, Armin smiled, “but there is something else.”

Hitch gestured for him to go on.

“There’s a tournament in Tekken, in the evening. You could take part.”

“Ehh, fighting games? I was never a big fan of those. I’m more of a Sims type of a girl.”

“It’s happening in a week, so, take your time, think about it. You don’t have to play If you don’t want to.”

“All right.”, she nodded, taking her notes from the table, “Now with that out of the way, can we start?”

Shifting a bit on the sofa, finding the most comfortable position, Armin nodded. Nodding back, Hitch began their session.

“Tell me about your week then.”

 

“Darius Zackly! Long time no hear friend.”

“Dude, I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“I told you I’ll squeeze you in between Christmas and new year, right? And it’s been months and I haven’t even called you. Man, work was just freaking insane, and add my permanently nagging wife to the mix and…”

“Hey, it’s fine, there’s no rush.”

“Well I still feel like an asshole. Do you still have the customs for me?”

“Yep, totally. Need to talk with you about a few things.”

“Great. Listen, is next week okay? You can drop by anytime and I promise on my grave, actually no, on my wife’s grave, that I will make time for you.”

“That’s perfect. See you next week?”

“See ya.”

The call ended with a click, and Eren put down the phone, grinning in satisfaction. There were a lot of stuff he needed to discuss with his gear provider, as his mind was running rather wild lately, with all the possibilities and things that could be done…. He could always just blame the shortened work hours, because with a lot of free time on his hands, the ideas just kept coming and coming.

“Who was that?”, Mikasa called from the kitchen, where she was working on their dinner. She volunteered to cook, as Eren was usually the one doing it, and told him that she needs no help, to just go and sit his ass down. Well, Eren wouldn’t argue with that, so as per her wish, he sat down, fiddling with his thumbs while she worked. 

“A friend.”, he replied, not wanting to spoil the surprise.

“A friend huh? Do I know him?”

“Maybe you do. Maybe you don’t”

“Is talking straight too hard for you?”, she sighed, turning the meat, “Or did the fear or getting your ass kicked in the tournament already darkening your brain.”

Eren snorted.

“Oh please. I’ll school you so hard, you have no idea.”

For reasons unknown, Mikasa laughed upon hearing that.

“Funny that you would use that word.”

“What word?”

“School.”

“And why is that funny?”

Now it was her turn to be all smug and mysterious.

“You’ll see baby.”

She turned her attention back to the cooking, and Eren was left wondering just what the hell she had planned. Oh well, nothing to do but wait for it anyway. He can handle it, whatever it is.

Hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a completely unrelated note, Tekken world tour 2019 got announced, shit looks juicy as hell.  
> Definitely looking forward to watching those tournaments.

**Author's Note:**

> Im also still looking for prompts, either drop them in the comments or send me an email at yodawgiherd1@gmail.com .  
> OR  
> You can use my brand new tumblr for ask/prompt, anything really ( im still new to it, be gentle)  
> https://yodawgiherd.tumblr.com/
> 
> Till next time!


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